Hi Jack,
This is a "reply all" to a very old email....for those interested in
listening in, feel free to read the copy below.
Now that I'm working in the Chickering serial number books at the
Smithsonian, I can tell you what I've found (or, to be more accurate, haven't found
:) ) about Chickering 5253.
When you first wrote about dating #5253 I asked for help at the
Smithsonian (I didn't have this particular era of numbers in my computer yet) and an
SI volunteer searched for 5253 without success. She said that 5253 was not
in the books. So I didn't write you until I could have a close look
myself.
Well, I have just had that look....it turns out that, indeed, there is no
record for 5253! Chickering Book One ends (according to the cover) at
5000. The numbers are not consecutively entered; instead, they are probably
entered upon the date of sale, and since the pianos have already been
entered according to mfg. date, the sale date and serial number data are not
consecutive. OK, so far we're talking about Book One, ending....well,
theoretically 5000 (that's what the cover says), but the physically last entry in
book one is #4993, while the highest number to be found in book one is 5274
(follow me so far?)
Book Two serial numbers starting with S/N 5315 ARE entered consecutively.
Serial number 5315 was built in January 1842, and sold June 29.
So Chickering 5253 may have been built in late 1841.
It's unfortunate that a lapse in serial numbers exists in the manufacturer
log books, but we can at least tentatively conclude from the existence of
5253 that some of these missing numbers represent real pianos, no doubt
from the Chickering factory.
Now if you can send along to me any Chickering documents referencing the
separate concert grand number series....
BTW I just bought a flat-strung scale 33 8' grand for Period Piano Center,
#30036 built October 1866, listed in the log book as a "Full Grand."
(Chickering didn't begin entering scale numbers in the books until the 1870s.)
Regards,
Bill
Bill Shull, RPT, M.Mus.
President, Shull Piano Inc
Director, Period Piano Center
25041 Redlands Blvd
Loma Linda, CA 92354
909 796-4226 bus cell
bdshull at aol.com
_www.shullpiano.com_ (http://www.shullpiano.com/)
_www.periodpianos.org_ (http://www.periodpianos.org/)
In a message dated 11/3/2010 10:43:39 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
JWyatt1492 at aol.com writes:
Hello to All,
Bill, The action is a retro fit with a modern action whip.
At first I thought the original action was a early "Brown".
After getting into the action and keys, and much research
I now think that the original action was likely an " English Single"
It has also been restrung.
My first estimate of the age of 1848 was tied to the Pierce Atlas
But I now find in " Clinkscale " (pg.79) that Chick. Gr. #6020 was
dated as 1844. Between these two numbers 5253 and
6020 there were 767 piano made.
Then we find in "Sumner" (pg.121) Chickering began overstringing
in both Grand and uprights in 1845.
Now in " Hollis" pg.92 we find that Chickering started using the
full iron plates in Grands in 1843.
With this information ( the best I have found at this time) It
looks
as if the year 1844 is a fair estimate when Ol '' 5253" was made.
Can anybody help me out on this ?
Regards to All
Jack
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