chickering

[Farrell]

I do so enjoy learning about the older pianos. I have yet to hear a good Chickering, and as such have not had the opportunity to hear the "Chickering sound". Please send any pictures you may have. I would love to see them. I think Chickering had the first full plate. Did this have a full iron plate ( I think the first was about 1840ish)? Didn't Steinway do the first overstrung piano in the mid 1850s? So was this one straight strung? Did it have a double-escapement action (modern)? Was the rim sawn? What material? Do you think it had the original soundboard?

I'll look forward to anything you can share. Thanks.

Terry Farrell
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Carwithen" <edwithen@oregontrail.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 11:42 PM
Subject: chickering


I just had a really fine experience, and I wanted to share it with someone who would even get a clue of what I am talking about.

I had the opportunity to tune a 1845-1850 Chickering 6'4" Grand yesterday.  It had had some hard use, and smoke damage earlier in its life, but had been rebuilt in the 1940's with Steinway strings, new hammers, new pin block etc.  Hammers had not been shaped since, so I did that, and tuned it.  The owner had refinished it completely so that it was impeccable.  

What a wonderful instrument.  I have heard you guys (and gals) talk about the "Chickering sound" for years (that original sound before the company was sold early in the 20th century).  I now know what that sound is, and it is marvelous.  Dark & rich; almost devoid of percussiveness; just an unbelieveably gorgeous timber.  I took photos of it if anyone would like to see what it looked like.  What a pleasure to work with.  

The wife of the now deceased former owner said that they had bought it from a boarding house in Dayton, Ohio in 1944, and moved almost immediately to Chicago.  It had been in bad shape and they had a German tuner by the name of Carl Moeller do the work.  He had been having trouble getting any work at all because of the bias against anything German during the war, and spent much time devoted to the instrument.  Inside the piano is a yellowed paper fastened to the case indicating the serial number which was 6744, and the name of "B. Canfra," or "Canpra."  Does either the name of the tuner or B. Canfra strike any memory chords with anyone???

Anyway, it was a major upper for me.  Thanks for listening....

Ed Carwithen
John Day