Broadwood (7 foot 5 inches. deep lustre mahogany. Date c.1900) ££9850
This instrument, No 45056, comes from the period when Broadwood built the finest instruments of their time. It was known as Model 4 which was introduced in 1896 as the second of Broadwood's overstrung series. From 1899 it was offered optionally with the famous barless or a conventional frame. The designer George Daniel Rose was a pioneer and leader of innovation in the piano industry. He later went on to found the firm of Marshall and Rose. This piano has exceptional rich warm bass sound, with the upper registers maintaining the characteristic Broadwood sound. This piano will have been built in the Horseferry Road factory about a year before production moved to Old Ford. At that time the factory employed some 500 workers and was an enormous undertaking in piano building by any standard of the times.
The action is conventional double escapement roller action which is now usully referred to as a Renner type action. This action, as were most components of pianos in the early years of the 20th century, was made by Broadwood themselves. It is quality build and feels like a first class modern action and visually a work of art in its own standing because of the high standard of finish and design.
The case is immaculate, elegant and cultured. Ideal to grace any fine music room. The desk is the collectors item famous fretwork type with the ornate cuts spelling out the name Broadwood if examined closely.
For a pianist who has modest means, this is a way of owning an instrument with quality sound.
In renovation we have replaced hammers (Abel) strings (EKA), wrest plank,(32 ply maple) dampers (Yamaha), keyboard bushings, and many other items.
The mahogany case which has almost rosewood appearance is unusual for Broadwoods who mostly used rosewood or walnut in those days. The soundboard has been dry room checked, reset and then stripped and varnished with a modern humidity resistant coat.
The action has been re-weighed and fully regulated as part of the renovation.
The piano is not one of the famous barless Broadwoods, but it has only 3 breaks.
We do not know the precise age of this piano but believe it to be about 1900.
The piano has been expertly and meticulously rebuilt with every wearing or time dependent component replaced or renovated to its original condition..
This is a fascinating instrument for the connoisseur who wants a piano that has all the elegance and perfection of appearance of the late Victorian age, yet also is a fine musical instrument.
The piano came to us from St Peters Church St Albans where for many years it had been the choir rehearsal instrument.
