George Pether c. 1790

About eleven square pianos by George Pether are recorded in Clinkscale, but we know very little about him as a maker.  He did register a patent for a downstriking action, but no examples are known.  

  The beautiful nameboard tells us that he worked for Kirckman - the only record of this that I can find. 

  It's difficult to be sure, but I think the main nameboard veneer is purpleheart.  Because it fades to a chocolate brown, this beautiful timber often passes unnoticed, but it was more commonly used that we might think, for example on pianos by Broadwood and Ganer.  When new, the contrast with the golden satinwood would have been stunning. 

This piano was extensively restored in 1998 by Lucy Coad.  The work included re-glueing the structure including the wrestplank and hitch-block.  Her report is included in the sale.  It currently stands at about a tone below A440; a couple of strings do need replacing.

Estimate £800 - £1,200; sold for £920.