A Broadwood 1825 in Italy

Free to Good Home

This handsome Broadwood is number 30602, dating it to 1825.  It has many good points, including a lovely brass inlaid rosewood nameboard and good ivories.  It has all six reeded legs, and the pedal.  It is largely in original condition, but there are a couple of 'issues' .

The all-important soundboard is good, and the bridge appears to be intact and soundly attached.  A couple of missing strings but again a re-string is routine. A schedule of the correct string pattern is available via this website.

Broadwoods of this period benefitted from the divided bridge to equalise the relative tensions of the brass strings in the bass and the steel strings for the main part of the compass.  A couple of the hitchpins have failed and been temporarily repaired with screws - another common problem that needs to be addressed.

The separate treble actions have been partially dismantled, presumablu with a view to restoration by some past owner; the present owner has made a count, and believes that all of the parts are there.

Perhaps our main concern is the front corner and right hand end, where cracking is apparent.  Veneer shrinks across the grain, and cracking like this is very common.  We are resonably hopeful that this is the case here.  But although we cannot see any movement of the hitch-block, we cannot rule out the possibilty of a structural problem.  The rounded corner joint itself is not a serious concern - it is the interior joints that matter.  

In view of the work required, this piano is being offered Free to Good Home.  It is near Arezzo, Italy.  

Please contact Sara Landman  saralandman@hotmail.co.uk

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