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The Clementi Page
Updated 6th December
We all love Clementi Pianos; some of us are fortunate enough to own one.
Delightful flower paintings graced the nameboards of Clementis from before 1800 until about 1815. The first feature on this page is dedicated to these: please contribute what you can.
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The story of the firm is familiar enough, although quite complicated: following the difficulties of the Longman & Broderip partnership, the firm went bust in 1795.
The world-famous pianist and composer Muzio Clementi stepped in to lead a new partnership.
Delightful flower paintings graced the nameboards of Clementis from before 1800 until about 1815. The first feature on this page is dedicated to these: please contribute what you can.
***********************
The story of the firm is familiar enough, although quite complicated: following the difficulties of the Longman & Broderip partnership, the firm went bust in 1795.
The world-famous pianist and composer Muzio Clementi stepped in to lead a new partnership.
The first pianos to have these beautiful flowers still have
the enamel plaques of Longman & Broderip. The one above is the only
one I know that includes a passion flower in the garland.
This one has the two cornucopiae, as found on later Clementis. Sadly, the quality of the image is not quite good enough to identify the flowers for certain, but it seems to include roses.
Another Longman & Broderip, with two separate sprays.
This one has the two cornucopiae, as found on later Clementis. Sadly, the quality of the image is not quite good enough to identify the flowers for certain, but it seems to include roses.
Another Longman & Broderip, with two separate sprays.
What could be the earliest "Muzio Clementi" I know
(still with the enamel plaque) has two garlands in a somewhat different arrangement.
Note that the painting includes roses and blue convolvulus
(Morning
Glory?) We are seeking advice from a consultant
Florist/Botanist: there is no blue member of the Convolvulus family
native to Britain, but was it a cultivated flower? .
The plaque on this one says
New Patent
MUZIO CLEMENTI & Co
No 26 CHEAPSIDE
London.
By the very early 1800s, the enamel plaque was replaced by a dark oval background bearing the same words (but omitting the number 26). This piano is number 6766 (ink)
The plaque on this one says
New Patent
MUZIO CLEMENTI & Co
No 26 CHEAPSIDE
London.
By the very early 1800s, the enamel plaque was replaced by a dark oval background bearing the same words (but omitting the number 26). This piano is number 6766 (ink)
This style is found with several different paintings: the one above I call 'Sweet Peas'...
...and this one 'Morning Glory'
The piano below (4622 stamped) has both!
Next, we have perhaps my favourite picture,
taken from the Clementi Upright Grand in the Colt Collection:
...and this one 'Morning Glory'
The piano below (4622 stamped) has both!
Next, we have perhaps my favourite picture,
taken from the Clementi Upright Grand in the Colt Collection:
This one features sweet peas, Turk's cap lilies, roses, blue
auriculas, and Morning Glory again. The eagle-eyed reader will have noticed
that it is very nearly the same picture as used in all the headers for
this website. That was actually taken from a Rolfe piano
- but I'm sure I've seen it on a Clementi Square. Any offers, please?
We now move on to the second major style: the pretty little 'etiquettes'.
These are all basically the same, with gold lettering on a dark rectangle, surrounded by a brown frame. This in turn is decorated with stylised musical instruments and small botanical sprays and flowers. Again, they are all original paintings, not transfers. Here are five examples:
- but I'm sure I've seen it on a Clementi Square. Any offers, please?
We now move on to the second major style: the pretty little 'etiquettes'.
These are all basically the same, with gold lettering on a dark rectangle, surrounded by a brown frame. This in turn is decorated with stylised musical instruments and small botanical sprays and flowers. Again, they are all original paintings, not transfers. Here are five examples:
Note that number 4 is the only one to have two stringed instruments;
all the others have a tambourine. Number 2 is the only one with
the tambourine on the right. There are differences in the leaves
and berries. And so on...
Finally, a very similar decoration, but from a piano by Holmyard, "Foreman and Succesfor to the late Mr Leukfeld". We already have Rolfe - did any other makers employ this studio to grace their nameboards?
As more pictures come in, we are finding more and more names on the nameboards - but the same artist. Here's one evidently made by Clementi and also carrying the name of the famous violinist Janiewicz
And another named for Janiewicz, Loud & Co.
Our study of the flowers themselves continues: they are evidently carefully painted, and surely represent real, not stylised, blooms. These two are something of a puzzle :
Any ideas?
One of the good things about a website is that 'articles' can be
corrected, updated, and improved any number of times. This one is
becoming a team effort amongst Friends, so please share better
pictures, different paintings, or any other thoughts or comments.
Please email David
Finally, a very similar decoration, but from a piano by Holmyard, "Foreman and Succesfor to the late Mr Leukfeld". We already have Rolfe - did any other makers employ this studio to grace their nameboards?
As more pictures come in, we are finding more and more names on the nameboards - but the same artist. Here's one evidently made by Clementi and also carrying the name of the famous violinist Janiewicz
And another named for Janiewicz, Loud & Co.
Our study of the flowers themselves continues: they are evidently carefully painted, and surely represent real, not stylised, blooms. These two are something of a puzzle :
Any ideas?