In addition to the the notes by Jim (Steve Shroeder's collection - However, if Mathushek had a chance he might have burned the thing, as Dolge said that Mathushek gave him permission to do to a bunch of old "upside-down" actions of Mathushek's manufacture), Susan (another reason to buy Fostle's interesting book, which I have read 1/3 of while standing at the bookstands at Border's) and others, I will add the following: Frederick Mathushek was an innovator in the piano industry in the 19th Century, and these exploits are discussed in Dolge's book, Pianos and their Makers. Dolge worked alongside Mathushek in one of Mathushek's piano companies, the New Haven, Conn., Mathushek Piano Company, begun in 1866 (Dolge p. 323). Dolge considers Mathushek the founder of the modern hammer press, which Dolge refined to become the press used for most hammers in the early 20th century (Dolge p. 100). Two Mathushek pianos are pictured in the Michel book, "Old Pianos" - the "Orchestral" or "Cocked Hat" piano, which is a four- legged small grand with and unusual shape, built in about 1850. The music desk is quite ornate and beautiful. Also pictured in this book is a small vertical. I have encountered a full size vertical Mathushek which had two unusual features. Most notable was the use of a spring which supported the hammer/butt assembly prior to checking. This seemed to me to be the closest to the grand piano's repetition lever; still, it was much different then the Langer idea of a spring to attempt to control the jack's return, found on many European and some American vertical pianos; the Langer concept was not included in the Mathushek, I believe. (I would like to have the opportunity to work with this action since the Fandrich/Trivelas class I took at the Portland 1989 convention.) This piano also used no pinblock. Instead, the plate webbing was cast to accomodate a full-length plate bushing, which was replacable. I both regret and am relieved that I did not purchase this piano, which I encountered for sale in the San Gabriel Valley in approximately 1980. I remember discussing a similar piano with Ed Whitting at about the same time. Bill Shull U of Redlands, La Sierra U Loma Linda, CA BDShull@aol.com
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