1876 Steinway Grand Piano
Kay Hamling
1876 Steinway & Sons Victorian Rococo Square Grand PianoSteinway is said to have built some of the finest pianos in history, and many of their 19th Century patents and designs are still being used in piano manufacturing today!
This beautiful piano was built by the famous Steinway & Sons Piano Company in 1876, a time when Steinway built more square pianos than uprights and grand pianos combined. The cabinet is made of beautifully carved Brazilian Rosewood and is of the Rococo Victorian style. The instrument is elegantly carved and has a handsome appearance.
This piano will be restored inside and out with a historical perspective in mind. If desired, this piano can be equipped with the Pianomation player system, and can play by itself by streaming music live on an iPod, computer, iPad, etc. Thousands of song titles are available.
West Music decided to make an in-kind donation of the piano to the foundation, and Rose, at the ripe old age of 130 years, joined the University of Iowa family. At the time of the donation, the piano was determined to be one of only five of that Steinway model still in existence, built around 1876, and valued at $73,200.
The Old Capitol Concerts were so popular, in fact, that the foundation and West both grew uneasy because, while Rose looked great, the sound was not up to Steinway standards. So, once again, the piano was on the move.
1876...the Centennial of the U.S.A!! This extremely stunning Steinway Style IV was built in that very year! 145 years young, you can only imagine the patriots who surrounded this piano while enjoying a bouncy waltz or lively concerto. If only this piano could talk!
The elaborate rosewood cabinet features extensive carving throughout and an ornate music rack. This instrument has had new strings, pins, hammers, shanks, flanges and wippens in the recent past and is a remarkably fine-playing piano for its age! It very possibly plays better now than when it was originally manufactured. Given the restoration work that has been performed, you should expect another 50+ years out of this piano easily....she'll probably celebrate her 200th birthday if treated with a smidgen of TLC.
Her soothing tone is rich and sweet. Mmmmmmmm. Kind of like that vintage bottle of wine that you've been saving for a special occasion. The difference is, you won't drink up the contents of this instrument and then have remorse over finally opening the bottle! You can enjoy it, enjoy it again, and continue to enjoy it throughout your life. Then maybe your kids and grandkids will experience the same joy from it.
We honestly don't know how long a piano has the potential to last, as they can be restored over and over. If the structural integrity of the instrument isn't compromised, the potential is there for a piano to last for many generations. Here is your chance to find out!
Come visit us today and see how good a 145 year old piano can sound. You will be amazed!
The finest glass beads available are used in our sandblasting cabinet (which can house an entire concert grand action), to remove years of corrosion and dirt. Notice the screws for the piano action parts are installed not only to clean them, but to prevent the glass beads from clogging the rails.
The most significant problem visible in this example is at note #26 (center photo), where we see the Japanese hammer is 2.3 grams heavier than the Renner replacement. Understanding that each gram at the hammer end of the shank increases touch-weight by 5 grams at the key, the Japanese hammer would make note #26 about 12 grams heavier to the touch! Amplify this with incorrect parts selection that have geometry problems, and it is easy to see how an inexperienced technician can ruin the performance of a Steinway piano action.
It is not uncommon for us to see poorly restored Steinway piano actions with down-weight measurements of 90 grams, and up-weight measurements of as low as 10 grams. In addition to that, many technicians will try to compensate for these poor performance numbers by inserting 6, 7, or sometimes even 8 leads in a desperate attempt to improve the touch of the piano. This is futile exercise that only makes the situation worse.
For years on early vintage Steinways, the action parts were dipped in a paraffin oil to act as a preservative for the wood. This accounts for the dark color of vintage Steinway parts. A drawback of the dipping solution is the chemical reaction with the centerpins and all the moving parts, resulting in what is known as Verdigris. This Verdigris gums up on the centerpins and felt (the green patina shown in the close-up), and results in sluggish action parts. This is one of the most major problems with older Steinway pianos. There are no permanent fixes for this condition other than replacing the defective components with new parts.
All of our rebuilt Steinway and Sons pianos will include replacing the agraffes. Agraffes are made of brass, and if they have been over-torqued at the factory, they will eventually break. This will take 70 years sometimes, but it will happen! Nonetheless, new clean agraffes not only look nice, but contribute to better tone in the piano. The steel wire that goes through the agraffes is harder than the brass, so it will eventually deform the round holes making them oval.
In order to achieve a consistent feel for the action, rebushing the keys is a crucial step in the piano restoration process. Only the highest quality felt material and installation processes are used for perfect results.
Polishing of piano keytops is a necessary maintenance to restore luster to both plastic and ivory keytops. Rouge selection, polishing wheel selection, and wheel speed are important factors in achieving the perfect results.
Here we see a replacement hammer-butt for a vintage Steinway upright (above right). Imadegawa Company of Japan is currently the most accurate reproducer of this hard to find component. Even the damper levers and wippens are reproduced to the exact dimension needed in order to insure a proper feel and action response. Vintage Steinway upright pianos excel when these components are used to restore the action of the piano. Abel hammer samples prehung at each end section are shown above left.
This is an unused marketing video produced by the Steinway Company in 1929 displaying how they manufacture their Style B Grand Piano. Most of the techniques have stayed the same in the 80 year interim.
Square Grand Pianos are an important part of modern piano development. Square Grands were incredibly popular during the 18th and 19th centuries and a vast number of them were sold. Mechanically different than modern pianos of today, Square Grands helped to contribute a number of advancements that are still in use. By the time Steinway began production of their first pianos in 1853, the Square was one of, if not the most popular style on the market. These pianos were commonly found in living rooms around the world and provided countless hours of musical enjoyment.
Steinway Model D Concert Grand Pianos are the standard by which other concert pianos are judged. This very rare and stunningly gorgeous Rosewood Steinway & Sons D #52626 was manufactured in 1884 at the New York Steinway factory. Fully restored, this piano features a new solid spruce soundboard, fully rebuilt action, original ivory keytops and much more. This piano's art case cabinet is in a figured Brazilian Rosewood veneer that is sure to make it a visual and musical centerpiece in any room it is placed in. Measuring just under nine feet in length, this concert grand piano is a fine example of golden era piano craftsmanship. Includes the original matching stool. This piano has been sold.
This stunning Steinway & Sons Model A, Style III Grand Piano is a unique and powerful instrument. This fully rebuilt piano features an African Flame Mahogany cabinet and a wonderfully broad range of tone. This vintage instrument features a new solid spruce soundboard, a new custom fitted pinblock, a fully rebuilt action with German Renner parts and much more. The piano's action has been fully regulated and concert level tone regulation has been performed for Steinway quality tone and touch. This piano has undergone a full Chupp's Piano Service restoration and is sure to be the musical centerpiece of any room it is placed in. This piano has been sold to a client in Massachusetts.[Contact us today for additional information.]
Steinway Model B Grand Pianos have long been considered to be the 'perfect piano.' This wonderful art case Steinway is no exception! Steinway Model B #87751 was built in 1896, during the height of the golden era of piano manufacturing. This Victorian style parlor grand features beautiful hand carved details including flowerpot legs and a filigreed music desk. This fully rebuilt grand piano has a new solid spruce soundboard, custom fitted pinblock, Steinway action parts and much more. This exquisite, concert level grand piano is a fine example of both historic Steinway quality and the high caliber of work we do here at Chupp's Piano Service. Have questions? Get in contact with us today! Pictured with an optional Jansen Artists Bench. This piano has been sold to a client in Troy, Michigan and will have a state of the art QRS PNOmation3 Player Piano System installed.
Mason & Hamlin Model BB Grand Piano #36328 was built in 1927. Measuring just under seven feet in length this semi-concert grand piano is in very good original condition. Larger than the comparable Steinway Model B, this grand piano is a lasting example of American piano quality. Pictured with an optional Jansen Artist Bench. After evaluating this instrument, we have selected this piano for a full restoration. Post-restoration price is pending. Contact us today for more about this instrument.
Steinway & Sons Model M #227953 was built at the New York Steinway Factory in 1924. Measuring 5'7" in length this 'baby grand' is a living example of historic Steinway quality. Featuring an expertly refinished ebony cabinet, restored original ivory keytops, a fully rebuilt action, and a new solid spruce soundboard, this instrument is a wonderful testament to golden era Steinway craftsmanship. This piano has been fully restored and is one of the finest Model M Grand Pianos we have offered for sale in years. You will fall in love with this piano's lovely quality of tone and touch! Pictured with an optional Jansen Artist Bench. This piano was sold to a happy client in Sioux Falls, SD. [Contact us today for more about this or any other instrument.]
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