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Welcome to ‘Friends of Square Pianos’
To get in touch for any reason, or just to say 'Hello', please email David on friends.sp@btinternet.com
Update 1st February 2012
A Clementi Restoration Project
Sold!
This is a fine-looking Clementi from the mid 1820s, which seems like a
very promising candidate for restoration. The numbers are 15314
(Stamped) and 20263 (Ink). We see from the picture above that this
one has the expected rosewood nameboard (with brass inlay) but the
colour is an attractive light brown, rather than the somewhat
sombre dark colour that is more usual. The pedal is present (as
are all six original legs, with brass casters and collars). The
mahogany case looks to be in pretty good condition (I have some more
pictures of this and other details - email me at the address
above.)
As we can see, a previous owner has started on the restoration, and
saved us the trouble of taking it all to bits! We are assured
that all those bits are in a number of little boxes - I have pictures
of the hammers, etc. The strings have been saved, although a new
set is usually a good idea. From the picture above we can see that the
soundboard and bridge look good. The back corner fret is intact
(as are the keyboard frets).
It doesn't really show in this picture, but we have to say that a few
of the ivories are chipped at the front. The Friends' goody-box'
can help with these, though.
So, a complete re-building job for the action and dampers. But then, all the hinges will be new, and it should work beautifully. When well-restored, Clementi's pianos always sound good, and this is a fine example of the later period, built when the Great Man was well into old age. (The technical and production aspects of the company were in the hands of the the Collard brothers, Frederick William and William Frederick.)
As ever, I should say that I have done my very best to give a fair picture of this piano and its prospects, but I have not actually seen it.
Sold within 4 hours!
So, a complete re-building job for the action and dampers. But then, all the hinges will be new, and it should work beautifully. When well-restored, Clementi's pianos always sound good, and this is a fine example of the later period, built when the Great Man was well into old age. (The technical and production aspects of the company were in the hands of the the Collard brothers, Frederick William and William Frederick.)
As ever, I should say that I have done my very best to give a fair picture of this piano and its prospects, but I have not actually seen it.
Sold within 4 hours!
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Friends Concert In The Hague
Wednesday 8th February
Broadwood c.1829
Christina Edelen Tony Boutte
Olaf van Hees has arranged another in his series of 'House Concerts'.
It really is good to see our pianos being used for their proper purpose,
in this case a performance of Schubert's "Die Schöne Müllerin".
Please support this event if you possibly can - details are on our Events Page .
There's no doubt about it - it's all happening in The Netherlands!
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More Music in the Air...
I don't think that's actually Jane Austen, but the picture was taken in Chawton Parish Church. The piano is a Southwell...
Please see the Bookshelf & Recordings page, for details of a very special new CD.
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Friends Special
We all need tuning hammers, and it is much more enjoyable to use one
that is attractive, and a good fit for the pins on our pianos. I
am now able to offer a range of Friends Specials, to order. The
two at the left have machined shanks, with a slot 4mm x 6.5. This
fits the pins of most square pianos from the earlier part of the
nineteenth century, including most Broadwoods and Clementis. The
two on the right are fabricated, and have custom-made tapered slots up
to a maximum of
6mm x 4 for earlier pianos. The one with the tulipwood handle was made for the 4' pins of my harpsichord, but is also right for a 1777 Kirckman with 4.2mm diameter pins. Handles are available in rosewood, tulipwood, kingwood, ebony, satinwood, or purpleheart. It's best if you can send a pin to be matched, but we will be able to cope if we know the diameter of the pins, and the dimensions of the oblong head. These are available in limited numbers in return for a donation of £30 (plus postage) to my branch of Cats Protection www.cats.org.uk/wellingborough - all materials and labour are freely given. Please contact David on friends.sp@btinternet.com
6mm x 4 for earlier pianos. The one with the tulipwood handle was made for the 4' pins of my harpsichord, but is also right for a 1777 Kirckman with 4.2mm diameter pins. Handles are available in rosewood, tulipwood, kingwood, ebony, satinwood, or purpleheart. It's best if you can send a pin to be matched, but we will be able to cope if we know the diameter of the pins, and the dimensions of the oblong head. These are available in limited numbers in return for a donation of £30 (plus postage) to my branch of Cats Protection www.cats.org.uk/wellingborough - all materials and labour are freely given. Please contact David on friends.sp@btinternet.com
*********************
Our Companion Website -
www.squarepianotech.com
This companion website is hosted by our very good Friend, Tom Strange,
in the USA.
This website has been running for a while now, and more articles are being added to this valuable resource. Please visit! The intention is that this will be a focus for the more technical and permanent aspects of square piano ownership, maintenance, and restoration. Some of the Restoration Reports that have featured on this site in the past will be permanently available, as will chapters about soundboards, hammers, and just about everything else. Of course, this will take time to build up, but it will gradually become a unique resource, and a permanent record of technical data and advice.
In the meantime, the 'Friends' website will continue to feature gossip, rumour and scandal - and possibly the odd piano for sale!
This website has been running for a while now, and more articles are being added to this valuable resource. Please visit! The intention is that this will be a focus for the more technical and permanent aspects of square piano ownership, maintenance, and restoration. Some of the Restoration Reports that have featured on this site in the past will be permanently available, as will chapters about soundboards, hammers, and just about everything else. Of course, this will take time to build up, but it will gradually become a unique resource, and a permanent record of technical data and advice.
In the meantime, the 'Friends' website will continue to feature gossip, rumour and scandal - and possibly the odd piano for sale!
******************************
Our 'For Sale' Page
We seem to do quite well at selling interesting pianos for reasonable prices. As a rough guide, a piano should sell if the price asked is somewhere around the probable hammer-price at auction.
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.cats.org.uk/wellingborough 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 :
This takes you to a secure website. If you are a UK taxpayer,
Cats Protection can reclaim tax paid through the Gift Aid system.
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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 David at friends.sp@btinternet.com
Our 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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About the 'Webmaster' (David Hackett of Chelveston)
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 accepting early retirement, I am able to spend a bit more time enjoying them - and encouraging others, I hope..
My real work now is with cats, though - I am a volunteer with my local branch of
Cats Protection.
www.cats.org.uk/wellingborough
Please note that this Paypal link shows my email address as E621@hotmail.com.
This is correct, and is the email by which I am known to Paypal.