Square grand pianoforte

Furniture

-

Boscobel House and Gardens

Name/Title

Square grand pianoforte

Entry/Object ID

2018.4

Description

Rectangular satinwood and rosewood inlaid and brass-mounted case of front-corner 'sideboard' design. The cross-banded, hinged top with brass-banded edge and hinged keyboard cover open to an apple-green painted shade board with hand-painted gilt vine and floral border and an ebony and rosewood-inlayed satinwood name board centering an ebonized oval medallion framed with patterned stringing and hand-painted floral garlands bearing the inscription "Patent-Grand,/ Gibson & Davis/ New York.," flanked by open fretwork reserves centering a musical stringed instrument. It is backed by mirrors above the keyboard which has 40 ivory and 28 ebony keys. The case is raised on a trestle or 'cheval' base with water-leaf-carved urn standards at each end above saber legs with water-leaf carving and reeding terminating in brass paw toe caps and casters. The pedestal ends joined below the urns by a turned, reeded and water-leaf carved stretcher. A water-leaf carved and mirror-backed lyre with five brass strings centered on the stretcher and connecting the two foot pedals to the piano. The bottom side of the shade board bears a graphite inscription "G & D no. 47 / /to be bordered with flowers"

Category

Musical instruments, Furniture

Acquisition

Accession

2018.4

Source or Donor

Richard T. Button

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Dick Button in memory of Berry Tracy

Furniture Details

Furniture Type

Piano

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Thomas Gibson & Morgan Davis

Role

Piano maker

Artist

Duncan Phyfe

Attribution

Possibly

Role

Cabinetmaker

Date made

circa 1812 - circa 1816

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Transcription

Patent Grand, Gibson & Davis New York

Material/Technique

Stenciled

Type

Inscription

Transcription

G & D No. 47 / to be bordered with flowers

Material/Technique

Pencil

Dimensions

Height

36-1/2 in

Width

71-1/4 in

Depth

30 in

Material

Mahogany, Mahogany veneer, Satinwood veneer, Rosewood Veneer, Ebony veneer, Gilding, Mirror glass, Brass

Condition

Overall Condition

Excellent

Notes

Excellent. Restored with modern zither pins and new strings. Exterior appears to retain its original surface. It is missing the fretwork panels at the top front corners and the mirrors backing the fretwork on the name board appear to be replacements. The shade board has a crack running its length. Very minor loss of veneers and abrasions.

Provenance

Notes

Owned by Mr. Richard T. Button. Donated in 2018 by Mr. Button. Antiques dealers Carl & Celia Jacobs, Deep River, CT. c. 1966 (Advertisement in the Magazine Antiques, October 1966, pg. 446)