Similar to Clickscale I. p99, nos. 25,26
partly restored by David Winston, Cranbrook Kent
Description
Nameboard: light maple of sycamore with mahogany crossbanding with “Erard Freres / Facteurs de Forte Piano & Harpes Privilegies du Roi,/& de la Cour Imperiale de Russie / Rue du Moil No 13 – 21 a Paris 1814” incribed on soundboard with abbreviated version of name label details
Compass: 5 1/2 octaves FF – c4 68 notes
Keyboard : single unreversed manual
Keyboard materials: ivory covered naturals, ebony sharps
Pitch: minor third below A415Hz
Tuning: equal tempered
Action: double upstriking English square action
Hammers coverings: leather
Bridge: single
Strings
- FF – D# (11 notes) bichord brass winding over iron
- E – d (11 notes) bichord brass
- d# – c4 (46 notes) bichord iron
Removeable secondary soundboard
Dampers: wire spring-loaded cloth FF-f3 overdampers mounted inside rear case
Pedals: two timber (L una corda, R damper lift) hinged to strecther between rear feet
Wrestpins: inside R of case
Hitchins: inside L rear of case
Frame: timber
Case: ‘plum pudding’ mahogany
Case lid: as for case
Keyboard lid: hinged to fallboard : as per case lid
Music desk: one attached to inner side of nameboard, another attached to inner side of fretboard, with ledge on inner side of keyboard lid
Legs: four non-T???? turned legs with gilt capitals, screwed directly into case base, front pair metal caps (but no casters) at feet, near pair with similar capsbut placed on a timber batten which runs between them
Dimensions(mm): 1480w x 680d x 245h
Repertoire: Jardin, Steibelt, French Empire composer
Provenance: purchased David Winston, Cranbrook Kent
Comment:
Reference to royalty on an 1814 nameboard suggests instrument was made between Napoleon’s departure on 28 April and end of the year, creating potential embarassment for maker when he return from Elba to Paris on 20.03.1813, Louis XVIII having fled the previous day. Presumably, Napoleon’s preparations for Waterloo would have occupied his mind until his exile to St Helena a month later on 22.04.1815 and Louis XVIII’s return the next day should have alleviated all the Erards’ concerns.
Concert user: not concert ready
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