Chickering Grand

[Avery Todd]

List,

   A technician friend in West Texas received the letter below and asked
me if I could find out anything about it. I, personally, don't have a clue
but am hoping someone on the list can provide some information.
   Thanks for any help you can give.

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I recently bought a piano which according to the serial # is an 1868
Chickering, a 9'1" concert grand, made of rosewood, and in perfect shape.
The harp does not state it is a Chickering. Instead it states "33 B" where the
B is below the 33.  After I brought it home, I had a few people look at it.
Most believed that according to their knowledge of Johannes Brahms, it was a
piano built for him, whereby he had the harp altered to his preference,
including the elimination of the raised circle holes, added circle holes and
rectangular cut outs at specific loactions to allow a more uniform sound.
Because the sound quality brings tears to one's eyes, we suspect it may be
true.

Is there a way to determine any validity? I am curious only for knowing what
I have.  I will never sell the piano and will give it to my sons when they get
older.  I originally bought it because I have an 1890 Chickering
"Accoustigrande" that I was restoring, until I was in the World Trade Center
when it was bombed in 1993, broke 47 bones and had numerous internal
injuries. Because this May 15 was the anniversary of my first year being able
to walk, I decided to buy another piano to keep myself nimble and to keep my
mind off the pain, and found this one.  It's exactly the same as the one
pictured in Ed Kuntz's Chickering registry, front page where that one
pictured is an 1865 unit at the Smithsonian Institution.

For these reasons, I would like to learn all I can. It need's small repairs,
which I hope I can get done because so many people want a record off of it or
just to gather here at my house to play it with groups of pianists.  I would
offer it to those wishing to play it, for free. I simply want to see it be
appreciated, and for this reason, if I knew what I had we all would be
thrilled of the accuracy.  If it turned out to be an aftermarket type, which
I sincerely doubt, I still would not be bothered because it is so beautiful.

Any help is appreciated.  I am in New York on Long Island.
Thank you,

Fred Eichhorn