Piano (board zither)

Collection type: Object
Description: Piano (board zither)
Long description: Square piano. Compass 5 octaves less one note, G-F. Oblong mahogany case with inlaid border lines of orange coloured wood, resting unattached to trestle stand with 4 square legs. Naturels ivory, sharps ebony. Wrest pins on extreme right of soundboard. Maker's name on the nameboard: 'Johannes Pohlman Londini Fecit, Great Russel Street Bloomsbury'. [MJD 23/02/2015]
Geographical reference: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; England London
Cultural groups: English
Person: Maker Johannes Pohlman; Field collector Henry Balfour; PRM source Henry Balfour
Date / Period: Date made: Circa 1770
Date collected: By 1939
Acquisition information: Bequeathed: 1939
Materials and processes: Material Wood Plant, Material Metal, Material Whale Bone Animal, Material Animal Ivory Tooth, Process Carpentered
Dimensions: Width: max 1173 mm, Depth: max 738 mm with stand, Length: max 422 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1938.34.661
Research and responses: This piano was studied by Michael Cole, Pianoforte Maker, in February 2015. He says the piano is likely to have been made in 1785. Cole made comparisons with dated Pohlman pianos (see website http://www.squarepianos.com/blog-Jan2015.html). The name plate in this piano has circular ends and the address is included in the inscription. Before 1780/82 the cartouche has a pointed end and after 1788 the cartouche ends had a step. Cole noted the brass lock is not original. He also noted the piano body was an unusual shape and must have been made to fit something. For Michael Cole's 'description/appraisal', see RDF. [MJD 25/02/2015; JC 7 3 2019]

Search terms: Music, Musical Instrument, Zither

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