Eavestaff Pianette from Pigott & Co.

[JohnC]

Hi,

I have a "The Eavestaff Pianette Minipiano" with "As used by HRH Princess ingrid of Sweden" displayed but it has Pigott & Co ltd Dublin Cork and Sligo as the maker.

The number on the case is 152507 with another number 2770 a few inches away from it. Also displayed: Reg Design 796884 794640 and looks like 79/639 or could be 791639.

Pigott and Co do not seem to exist anymore or at least have been taken over / assimilated and there is now no info available apparently.

Does anyone have any idea as to its approximate age or any other info?

[Bill Kibby]

Does it actually say that Piggott was the maker? This is not correct, they were the retailers, but like so many, they appear in various lists under the heading of "Pianoforte Makers" or "Pianoforte Manufacturers". The number suggests that the piano was made in 1951, but Eavestaff numbers are not entirely reliable, so have a look at pianogen.org.

A lot of your success with googling Piggott will depend on the spelling.

[JohnC]

Apologies - I spelt the name correctly - Pigot and not Piggott - in the text of the query only to get it wrong in the heading. This was in spite of checking the copy at least twice.

It is most definitely styled "Pigot and Co Ltd" on the piano.

Thanks for the guide as to the age of the piano and will certainly keep checking the internet for Pigot.

BTW - having checked so far it seems ithe firm was started by a Samuel Pigot in 19th century who was a famous cellist and rented a piano to James Joyce for which his firm was never paid.

LOL - If pianos could talk..

[Bill Kibby]

How odd! I'm sorry that I usually have to assume that incorrect spelling is the norm nowadays, most people don't bother to check, so it's interesting that I have two or three images which confirm the spelling as "Pigott"!

One is from sheet music, another from a piano, they both say "Pigott & Co. 112 Grafton Street Dublin". The earliest Dublin directory to list trades is 1835, and the Musical Instrument Makers & Sellers include Samuael James Pigott, 13, Westmoreland Street. By 1840 he was at 112 Grafton Street, where the firm remained for a long time.

The spelling is consistently "Pigott"!