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Square Piano

ca. 1800–1810
Not on view
Benjamin Crehore may have been the first native born American maker of pianos and was the earliest New England piano maker that is known. This square piano is one of six pianos documented by this maker.

Technical description:

Rectangular mahogany and rosewood veneered case with bird's eye maple veneer on nameboard, with floral design and with fretwork on either end; on square tapered mahogany-veneer legs with inlaid borders; compass FF-c4 (68 keys), ivory naturals with molded fronts, ebony slips over black-stained accidental blocks; damper pedal implied by hole in case bottom (pedal missing); legs tenoned to frame of independent stand; English double action, intermediate lever with single escapement; wires passing through wood plate adjacent to hitchpin rail carry felt-lined wood damper blocks; unpierced tuning pins; double-strung throughout, lowest eight notes wound.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Square Piano
  • Maker: Benjamin Crehore (American, Milton, Massachusetts 1765–1831 Milton, Massachusetts)
  • Date: ca. 1800–1810
  • Geography: Milton, Massachusetts, United States
  • Culture: North American, Massachusetts
  • Medium: Mahogany, rosewood, pine, maple, iron, brass, ivory, ebony, various materials.
  • Dimensions: Instr. 170cm x 59.5cm x 23.5cm
    *Stand is in pieces
  • Classification: Chordophone-Zither-struck-piano
  • Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
  • Object Number: 89.4.2858
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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Pipe Organ, Thomas Appleton American, Mahogany veneer, rosewood veneer, pine, gilt, ivory, ebony, maple, walnut, chestnut, metal, American
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Upright Piano, Loud & Brothers American, Rosewood veneer, bird's eye maple veneer, iron, brass, ivory, ebony, fabric,, American
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