Square Piano

early 19th century

Not on view

The layout of the strings of this piano resembles the instruments by Johann Matthaus Schmahl, specifically his liegende harfe, or harp pianos. The fifty-four note keyboard (C-f3)has dark-stained wood naturals and bone slips covering the accidentals. The mechanism is a simple German Stoßmechanik action. The hammers are bare wood and there are no dampers. This type of instrument was probably made to imitate the hammered dulcimers that were popular at the time, especially the type known as pantalons, made famous by the virtuoso player Hebenstreit Pantaleone.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Square Piano
Date: early 19th century
Geography: Germany
Culture: German
Medium: Wood, bone, iron
Classification: Chordophone-Zither-struck-piano
Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Object Number: 89.4.3254
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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