Square Piano
This unsigned piano is attributed to the Viennese maker Caspar Kaholnik because of its similarities to an instrument by that maker located in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. Katholnik was born in Villach (Beljak), Carinthia, Austria, and moved to Vienna where he received a license to make instruments in 1801, becoming a citizen of the city a year later. In addition to square pianos, he advertised upright pianos, but none is known to survive.
Technical description: Rectangular mahogany veneered case with canted corners and black edges, on 4 square, tapered legs bearing black striping along corner edges, nameboard decorated with fretwork pattern of intersecting arches; compass: FF-f3 (61 keys), bone naturals with 3 reddened score lines, ebony slips over dark-stained accidental blocks; dampers operated by knee lever (missing); small oblong and later oblong pierced tuning pins; German action with escapement, metal kapsels, dampers (missing) on wires that passed through holes in hitchpin rail; single strung throughout, wound in bass except for lowest 2 notes; soundboard extends entire width over key tails, with hammers striking through opening in front of nut; nameplate missing. (L. Libin 28 Sept. 1976).
Technical description: Rectangular mahogany veneered case with canted corners and black edges, on 4 square, tapered legs bearing black striping along corner edges, nameboard decorated with fretwork pattern of intersecting arches; compass: FF-f3 (61 keys), bone naturals with 3 reddened score lines, ebony slips over dark-stained accidental blocks; dampers operated by knee lever (missing); small oblong and later oblong pierced tuning pins; German action with escapement, metal kapsels, dampers (missing) on wires that passed through holes in hitchpin rail; single strung throughout, wound in bass except for lowest 2 notes; soundboard extends entire width over key tails, with hammers striking through opening in front of nut; nameplate missing. (L. Libin 28 Sept. 1976).
Artwork Details
- Title: Square Piano
- Maker: Caspar Katholnik (Katholnig) (Austrian, Vienna 1763–1829 Vienna)
- Date: ca. 1801–5
- Geography: Vienna, Austria
- Culture: Austrian
- Medium: Mahogany veneered case, bone naturals, ebony slips over dark-stained accidentals.
- Dimensions: Case length (perpendicular to keyboard) 36.6 cm, Width (parallel to keyboard) 106.0 cm, Case depth (wihtout lid) 15.5 cm, Total height 75.5 cm
- Classification: Chordophone-Zither-struck-piano
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.1951
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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