Flemish Single, Thomas Pixton

Pictured is a beautiful Flemish Single by Thomas Pixton, maker's number 13, 1981, Boston, GG-e''', 415/440. Restored January, 2013, in my workshop. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Herz French Double

Every now and then, I come across an instrument that I want to keep for myself.
This French double, made by Eric Herz in 1976, instrument number 251, tops my list.
I've just completed a restoration of this perfectly made, beautiful sounding instrument.

Albrecht square piano

Every now and then then, I come across an instrument bearing the signature of its maker.

I could barely contain my excitement when I uncovered this note, hidden deep inside the case of a square piano made in 1813 by Charles Albrecht, written by Charles Deal, Philadelphia, 1813.
It reads:  
The Person who first casts his eye on this may know that this Piano was made in the year 1813 about the time Bonaparte was defeated by the Russians.
Charles Deal
(click on image to enlarge)

Square Piano, Charles Albrecht, 1813

Charles Albrecht, Phildelphia, 1813

Colmar Ruckers

This instrument, which recently underwent a complete restoration in my workshop, was built by the late, great Earl Russell, one of his last instruments. It is one of the most beautiful sounding harpsichords on which I have ever had the privilege to work.
R.I.P., Earl.
Wish I could have known you.

Broadwood Square

Pictured is a Broadwood square grand, maker's number 36022, built circa 1826.

The instrument was restored a few years ago, and the quality of the work was quite good.

Unfortunately, the right side of the case could no longer withstand the enormous tension of the hitchpin rail, and has failed spectacularly.

Stay tuned.

 (Click on images to enlarge.)

Clementi Square Piano

Pictured is a Clementi & Co. square grand, makers number 14537, circa 1818, which will eventually undergo a complete restoration.

Unfortunately, it appears that a well intentioned but rather incompetent "restorer" did some work on the instrument at some point in its life, having replaced the original overspun bichord bass strings with single, overly heavy wound strings, along with a few other inappropriate additions and "improvements."

Fortunately, the instrument is complete.  The ivories are all present, and in remarkably good condition, as are the original hammers.

Stay tuned.

 

 

Hubbard bentside spinet

Before and after restoration.

My workshop

French Double Manual Harpsichord

Pictured is a French double manual built by David Jacques Way, 1988, belonging to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA.
Unfortunately, this instrument had undergone a previous "restoration" of very poor quality.

French Double Manual Harpsichord

Here are a view views of the stringing, before and after my restoration.

John Broadwood & Son

With a bit of research, I've discovered that the Broadwood grand #3448 is pictured on page 87 of the English version of Ernest Closson's The History of the Piano, after finding a reference to it in an article by Kenneth Mobbs, "Stops and other special effects on the early piano." (Early Music, Volume 12, No. 4, November, 1984; footnote #6, page 476.)

John Broadwood & Son fortepiano

The finished product.

 

 

Broadwood piano action

The action, before and after restoration.

Broadwood fortepiano action

Another view of the action, before and after restoration.

 

Broadwood fortepiano action

The unrestored action, with the signatures of Cochran and Bishop, two of the many craftsmen who worked in the Broadwood factory.

John Broadwood & Son

Fortunately, the previous caretakers of this instrument appreciated the importance of preserving any component that had become separated, such as these veneer chips and hammers. (Click on images to enlarge.)

John Broadwood & Son Fortepiano, Maker's Number 3448

It was customary for the Broadwood firm to mark the maker's number on the belly rail, wrestplank, stand, and music desk. Pictured below is the maker's number, 3448, inscribed in pencil on the lower belly rail, stamped on the top of the front section of the stand, and in ink on the bass section of the wrest plank. (Click on images to enlarge.)

 

The desk for this instrument, however, is stamped with the maker's number 1622.

Unfortunately, instrument number 1622, built in 1799, does not appear to have survived.

Broadwood Fortepiano

A view of a section of the newly installed strings.

Broadwood fortepiano restoration

Here is a view of the interior, from the underside, showing the newly repaired and reinstalled soundboard, treble brace, and secondary liner along the spine.

A view of the top, showing the new and original sections of the hitchpin rails, as well as the newly shimmed and shellacked soundboard.

Another view of the top.

Broadwood/square nails

Before there were Home Depot, Ace or True Value Hardware stores, builders and craftsmen relied upon their local blacksmith for their supply of hand made nails, such as the ones pictured here.

They will be carefully straightened and reused in the installation of the keybed and case bottom.

Broadwood piano soundboard

Here is a view of the underside of the soundboard, with linen cloth applied on the cracks, and of the soundboard re-installation.

Broadwood Restoration

A view of the interior of the instrument with the soundboard removed.

Broadwood Fortepiano

After a long hiatus, I have begun the restoration of the the 1806 Broadwood grand.  Pictured is my beautiful new bride, Sylvia, celebrating the successful removal of the strings, and the interior of the instrument.  As happy as I am to have the opportunity to restore this instrument, I feel even more fortunate to have a wife who is equally excited to assist me with its restoration.

Opus IV Keyboard: All has not been lost

With a bit of patience and perseverance, I have successfully restored the keyboard and keyframe, which was badly damaged due to a flooded workshop.

The walnut keytops and cherry arcades have been re-glued to the levers, and with the installation of the walnut cheek-blocks, key cloth and keyframe front molding, it is now ready for installation.

It was necessary for me to adopt a different attitude and mindset in the restoration of this once finished and perfectly functioning keyboard, which I had considered to be the finest I had yet built.

Having done countless restorations of keyboards and keyframes from harpsichords,  clavichords, virginals and fortepianos, as well those from modern pianos,  this was a project that I simply had to approach as yet another restoration of a damaged keyboard, setting aside the frustration I felt with having to restore a keyboard I had so recently completed.

Opus IV: Saving the keyboard

Having allowed the waterlogged keyboard and frame to dry out for a month, it appears that I will be able, after all, to rebuild it.
The walnut keytops have been removed, numbered, and prepped for regluing, and the keylevers appear to have suffered less damage than I had previously thought, save for some staining at the balance points, the result of the balance pins having rusted.
I have polished the guide and balance pins, rebuilt a slightly warped keyframe, and have begun the process of regluing the natural keytops onto the keylevers.
The prospect of building an entirely new keyboard was, to say the least, demoralizing, however, I am quite optimistic that I will be able to resurrect the original keyboard, a tedious, yet far less time consuming task than building a new one from scratch.

A bit of a setback

I discovered, in the aftermath of a flooded basement/workshop, that the keyboard for my Opus IV harpsichord has been destroyed.  Fortunately, the instrument itself, along with my tools and machines, suffered no harm.

The making of the keyboard, an extremely time consuming process, represents the birth of an instrument, as it is the first thing I make for a new instrument.

While it will indeed be a challenge to duplicate the dimensions of this keyboard, I am quite confident that I will be able to accomplish this task, with the hope that the new keyboard will be even better than the original.

Despite this very disappointing setback, my Opus IV will one day sing.