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<div>What a great find, David! Wow! In incredible shape, too. I wouldn't refinish it at all. I would restring it, though. It would be a great historical item to hear what Ludwig might have found in the day. Maybe he even could have played that piano!! Perhaps
any number of great composers of the day might have touched it! Again, I will say WoW! I doubt that you would want to get it to an A-440 state, but whatever was the tuning pitch in the day….maybe A-415 or so. Very cool!</div>
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<div>Paul</div>
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<span style="font-weight:bold">From: </span>David Boyce <<a href="mailto:David@piano.plus.com">David@piano.plus.com</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Reply-To: </span>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Date: </span>Tuesday, November 27, 2012 2:04 PM<br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">To: </span>"<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Subject: </span>[pianotech] Collard & Collard<br>
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<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"><font face="Arial">I went to look at a grand piano for a new client today, and was a bit enthralled by what I found. It's a 78" piano, with the serial number 9351.<br>
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That serial number dates it, remarkably, to about 1826. The piano is of striking modernity and solidity for such an age. Just think, it was made when Beethoven was alive!<br>
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I am sending some pics over several emails, to let you see some of the details.<br>
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The client is considering whether to have the piano case refinished, and I am ruminating over what to advise him about the insides. It is best to have a "minimum intervention" policy, and just clean it up and tune it (it's 300 cents flat, but the pins feel
great)? Or should it go to a rebuilder for a complete job - stringing, case refinishing etc?<br>
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The quality of sound is quite remarkable in its fullness and richness. It has bichords quite far up the scale (plain music wire).<br>
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At every turn, it displays evidence of thoughtful design - look, for example, at the two little turned handles for pulling out the action!<br>
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There is no sign of moth damage. What do you think is the function of the curious little tabs or tongues, on the backchecks?
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Observations welcome!<br>
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Best regards,<br>
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David.<br>
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