Lovely Birdcage, (Over Damper!)

Jurgen Goering pianoforte@pianofortesupply.com
Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:18:19 -0800


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With respect, I would offer a different opinion than Joe Garrett on a=20
few points:
Based on the many German pianos I have seen during my years working=20
there, I can say that while  the heyday of German overdampers was=20
earlier, many were still made after the turn of the 20th century. =20
There are some astounding overstrung overdampers made by Ibach and=20
others, but especially Bl=FCthner,  that blow the socks off of just =
about=20
any contemporary upright you would compare them to, in terms of=20
scaling, tone, touch, and yes, even damping.

The case is definitely a perfectly typical example of German styling=20
ca. 1900.  I have a R=F6nisch with almost the exact piano case (though=20=

not an overdamper) in my shop.  German piano of the pre-WW1 era came in=20=

essentially two stylings: black or walnut, with frames on the panels=20
and decorative matching veneer.  There were also a smaller number of=20
mahogany pianos made, mainly for export to England.   Almost always,=20
the finish was french polish, which gave real depth and glow to the=20
wood grain.  The Germans liked to show off the fancy wood, while North=20=

American pianos of the day were most often covered with thick coats of=20=

colored varish, which obscured the grain and eventually turned into=20
alligator skin.  Pity.

I agree with Joe on the pitch - take the precautions needed, and raise=20=

it.
Jurgen Goering
Piano Forte Supply
(250) 754-2440
info@pianofortesupply.com
http://www.pianofortesupply.com


On Jan 8, 2006, at 2:26 PM, Joe Garrett wrote:
> Having seen the pictures, My gut reaction is: there is nothing New in=20=

> that piano, although it is unusual in that it says 1900 on it.
> The Germans, for the most part, only made Over Damper pianos from=20
> about 1870 to 1880. Then they gave it up for lack of a market. I have=20=

> seen several like this, but were from the aforementioned date(s). The=20=

> case style is definately NOT of the 1900 period of German piano=20
> making, so I'd say it was a "specially made" one. The Atlas says=20
> little other than to infer that it was a "custom" shop. So that would=20=

> make more sense as to it's period of manufacture.
> As to the pitch to tune it at?......Since the German piano wire was=20
> light years ahead of anyone else, it is/would be safe to tune it at=20
> 440cps. However, if you want to be ultra safe, I'd say that the=20
> International Pitch of A=3D435cps is the way to go. The overall=20
> structure/construction/workmanship of German uprights is quite rugged=20=

> compared to the English counterparts. Look at the plate. It is massive=20=

> compared to English types!
> As for the CA glue? Yes!
> =A0
> =A0
> Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
> Captain, Tool Police
> Squares R I
> =A0
> =A0=

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