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Welcome to ‘Friends of Square Pianos’
Update 7th February
The V&A Collection - Latest News
We have been informed that the V&A will now be
opening the Musical Instrument Gallery, Room 40a, on the following days: 13-14
February, and the long weekend 19-21 February.
This will be the last chance to view the
collection before the gallery is closed after which the instruments will
either be put into storage or loaned out.
See http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furniture/furniture_features/musical_instruments/index.html. for details.
Before you travel please check that Room 40a is
indeed open as there seems to be no reference to these special opening times on the
V&A website.
I have read the piece on the website, and I'm afraid that I find the statement of future plans to be a little confusing - can anyone help?
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I have read the piece on the website, and I'm afraid that I find the statement of future plans to be a little confusing - can anyone help?
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No major auctions until April, now - and all our 'For Sale' pianos are sold.
We will try to catch any interesting pianos that crop up at provincial auctions, but often we do not get much notice of these - I only heard of a very interesting Longman & Broderip the evening before the auction. In the only picture, the lid was closed. What to say? (It sold for £320).
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Bonham's Report on the Auction Page
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Clementi Phoenix
Sometime last this year, the Friends website carried a 'sale' advertisement for a very distressed Clementi piano.
This
poor piano had been recovered from an old cottage in rural
Bedfordshire, which had literally collapsed around it. Happily,
the rescue was effected before serious rain set in. The heroic
Rescuer (the builder of the spinet in the background) sheltered it for
many years, and eventually offered it to Friends for possible sale.
It was clear that a great deal needed to be done, but underneath
all that dirt, it seemed that there was no direct evidence of
structural failure, and and an earlier restoration (in the opening
years of the twentieth century) had not caused any irreversible upsets.
A buyer was quickly found, and The Friends promised to offer support where possible, for what was clearly an ambitious first project.
The Rescuer (who has a nice workshop) very kindly jointed a nice piece of mahogany to the back edge of the lid - the usual splits worsened by seized-up hinges! This is almost invisible, as it fits behind the lid stringing.
A few small parts were needed her and there (Friends were able to help with bits like wrestpins, strings and dampers) but the really hard work involved dismantling, cleaning, reassembly, and polishing. The result is a credit to its restorer and new owner. Clementi pianos have always been famous for their beautiful sound, and this one sounds lovely: bright and clear. And it looks stunning, with the glow of that mahogany and brass. We should also say that piano and owner now have a bond; there is something very special about playing a piano that, silent for perhaps half its lifetime, can now sing again through the work of your own hands.
This story is about friendship, faith, and confidence. Lots of
things could have gone wrong, but they didn't. So we now have a
lovely piano with a beutiful sound, which will enjoy being played for
many more years to come. Let this be a story to inspire us all.
David
Friends.sp@btinternet.com
A buyer was quickly found, and The Friends promised to offer support where possible, for what was clearly an ambitious first project.
The Rescuer (who has a nice workshop) very kindly jointed a nice piece of mahogany to the back edge of the lid - the usual splits worsened by seized-up hinges! This is almost invisible, as it fits behind the lid stringing.
A few small parts were needed her and there (Friends were able to help with bits like wrestpins, strings and dampers) but the really hard work involved dismantling, cleaning, reassembly, and polishing. The result is a credit to its restorer and new owner. Clementi pianos have always been famous for their beautiful sound, and this one sounds lovely: bright and clear. And it looks stunning, with the glow of that mahogany and brass. We should also say that piano and owner now have a bond; there is something very special about playing a piano that, silent for perhaps half its lifetime, can now sing again through the work of your own hands.
David
Friends.sp@btinternet.com
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Our 'For Sale' Page
We seem to do
quite well at selling interesting items - from complete pianos to odd
spare parts - for reasonable prices. As a rough guide, a piano
should sell if the price asked is somewhere around the probable
hammer-price at auction.
So what have you got to offer? Perhaps a project you know that you'll never finish, or some surplus materials? Did you have to buy a whole goatskin, when you only needed a bit? And anyway, we all love reading 'For Sale' columns!
Please remember that all deals are between you and the buyer - I accept no responsibility for either party. But having said that, there have been no problems so far.
There are no charges for listing, but if anyone (seller or buyer)
wishes to make a gesture, donations to my favourite charity are always
welcome. Please see the 'Donate' button on the website www.wellrushcats.co.uk So what have you got to offer? Perhaps a project you know that you'll never finish, or some surplus materials? Did you have to buy a whole goatskin, when you only needed a bit? And anyway, we all love reading 'For Sale' columns!
Please remember that all deals are between you and the buyer - I accept no responsibility for either party. But having said that, there have been no problems so far.
For administrative reasons, I will not personally know who has donated, so I can't acknowledge, but thank you anyway! However, if any donor is a UK taxpayer, and wishes to take advantage of Gift Aid, please let me know.
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FRIENDS OF SQUARE PIANOS
is a sort of on-line club for owners, potential owners, and friends
of - Square Pianos!
We are also happy to welcome
owners of
very old grand pianos – say before about 1837 – as
they do
not seem to have a website of their own. We hope that you
will
find something of interest, and also feel free to contribute
–
please e-mail any questions or contributions
to friends.sp@btinternet.comOur aim is to encourage ownership and enjoyment of these historic instruments, and to help owners to keep them in playing condition. There is a special pleasure in playing (and hearing) music played on the instruments for which it was composed.
The picture above is
my Ganer of about 1795, after extensive reconstruction of the stand,
but before restoration. Please see 'Restoration Diaries' .
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My
only claim to respectability is that Carl Dolmetsch once offered to
take me on as an apprentice. This was in 1962, when I had
just
shown him my first clavichord, and been his guest at Haslemere.
However, he also advised me that it would be better to go to
University, and I accepted his advice. Early Keyboard
Instruments
have therefore remained a hobby, and since leaping at the opportunity
of early retirement, I am able to spend a bit more time
enjoying
them.
My real work now is with cats,
though - I am local Branch Co-ordinator for
Cats Protection.
www.wellrushcats.co.uk
Cats Protection.
www.wellrushcats.co.uk