Piano Forte

Object/Artifact

Historic Charleston Foundation

Allston piano

Origformat: digital; Resolution: 200

Name/Title

Piano Forte

Entry/Object ID

2000.004.1

Description

Piano Forte Piano Forte Made of Rosewood. Secondary woods not determined. Maker: Debain of Paris, London & New York Label is located behind a protective cover under the keyboard cover and inside the top of the string case. Upright rectangular case; the top lifts by a hinge at the rear of the case and is finished with ogee molding. An applied brass handle is located at the center of the top to facilitate opening. The front of the upper case is ornamented with an applied carved foliate molding and a pair of brass single-swing-arm candlabra, one on either side of the molding. The lower case has a hinged top that lifts by two knob handles to reveal of set of ivory keys. A concave molding has been applied between the knobs. The case is supported by side panels which extend to the floor and baluster-turned legs in front. A pendant drop, perhaps representing a vestigal leg, hangs from either side of the front beneath the keyboard. An applied half baluster embellishes the center front of the lower case above two metal foot pedals. The case rests on casters.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2000.004.

Source or Donor

Wilson, Adele (Mrs. Fraser)

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. G. Fraser Wilson

Made/Created

Time Period

Victorian

Place

Location

Belonged To Adele Alston Vanderhorst, Descended To Mrs. Fraser (Adele) Wils

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Piano

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Instrument, Keyboard

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Musical Instruments

Nomenclature Class

Musical T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 06: Tools & Equipment for Communication

Other Name

Piano Forte

Dimensions

Height

48 in

Width

52 in

Depth

21-5/8 in

Dimension Notes

[height] __[length] __[width] __[depth] __[diameter] __[size] __[other]

Location

Room

106

Building

Nathaniel Russell House

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Building

Heriot Street storage

Moved By

Westbrook Deliveries

Date

November 1, 2012

Notes

Reason: Construction of house Until: / /

Location

Room

303

Building

Nathaniel Russell House

Moved By

Date

July 28, 2004

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

General Notes

Note

Notes: [photo] __[slide] __[transparency] __[other] The Keys Need Some Attention As They Are Yellowed and Some Missing. Music played an important part the lives of Americans after the turn of the 19th century. There are many notices in the seaboard cities offering musical instruments imported from Europe and made by emigre instrument makers working here. It is not known if piano cases were made in cabinetmaking shops or by cabinetmakers working in the shops of instrument makers. They conform closely to the prevailing cabinetmaking idiom for each regional center. (Montgomery, Charles. Ameican Furniture: The Federal Period, p. 426) Status: OK Location Details1: 1 User10: 172005 Categ 3: 2000.4.2

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

August 17, 2000

Updated By

sferguson@historiccharleston.org

Update Date

May 3, 2023