David a' Paris

[wolflaw]

My bride and I purchased a wonderful upright piano yesterday from a nice lady in her 80's who told us that it belonged to her mother. This upright has painted on the board cover the name "David a' Paris" It is all wood and has a number burnt into the cabinet top of 234.

Have you any clue about this piece, its manufacturer or age?

[Bill Kibby]

I have no information ready on computer so ar, but I'll see what I can find. Otherwise, the only way I can help is to compile a report from photos. The number doesn't help, because David's numbers are not published.

[wolflaw]

Thank you Mr. Kibby for your kind response. I would be happy to snap some digital photos for you to view if you are willing.

Are you familiar at all with the craftsman David a' Paris?

[Bill Kibby]

No, I am not familiar with David's pianos, I am just hoping to find historical references to the firm.

[wolflaw]

Thank you. I will await your further impressions. Will photos assist at this time?

[Bill Kibby]

Unless any information turns up, photos are our only option.

[wolflaw]

I forwared this inqury last August and after a few brief remarks I let the issue sit on back-burners for awhile. I have posted digital photos of this lovely upright on the web in hopes that it may be identified.

http://www.citlink.net/~wolflaw/Piano.htm

If you would be kind enough to peak at the piece, any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you.

My bride and I purchased a wonderful upright piano yesterday from a nice lady in her 80's who told us that it belonged to her mother. This upright has painted on the board cover the name "David a' Paris" It is all wood and has a number burnt into the cabinet top of 234.

Have you any clue about this piece, its manufacturer or age?

[Bill Kibby]

The photos don't show much at all of the interior design, such as the action and iron frame if any, but I would guess it was made around 1870. For a full report, you would need to email me much more detailed interior photos above and below keyboard. I was in Paris a couple of weeks ago, and hoped to obtain local history information on piano makers, but Paris doesn't seem to know where its records are kept! See
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/piano ... tions.html
then press the Datemarks button.

[wolflaw]

I had some evaluation on this piece from a fellow on the Piano World forum who looked over some photos I posted on the web He adivsed:

-------------------------------------
[i]"Hmmm, interesting pics. Could you open up front of piano so we can see action, and take another pic? It looks as though your piano is very old and is straight-strung. That is, strings do not cross over from bass to treble. Another indication that this piano could be very old. The case also fits this idea of being old. I tuned a piano from 1835 that was straight-strung, but its hammers were much smaller and all same size. It "may" be from 1880-1900.. but that is a guess at this point. Manitou - Pianist - Technician"[/i]---------------------------------------
I posted additional photos today [url]http://www.citlink.net/~wolflaw/Piano.htm[/url] . Would you be kind enough to view them to see whether they assit in identifying this piano? Thank you.

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, I'll have a look at the photos, but it doesn't look straight-strung it looks oblique-strung. Also, I would hesitate to pay too much attention to someone who implies that vertical stringing suggests that sort of age. The majority of pianos in people's front rooms in the UK are straight-strung, some were made as late as the 1950s. "Very old"? I think I said about 1870-ish, and obviously french in character, with its case, action and stringing.

[Bill Kibby]

About half of the photos don't open up, the remainder, although very interesting, only reinforce my opinion of a french piano (well, we knew that) of about 1870-ish, oblique-strung, as many were. Fancy brass pedal feet are typical, as is the very advanced form of action. This would have been made for them by another firm, such as Schwander, and if you know anyone (such as a tuner) who could remove the action safely, there may be names and numbers on the rear which could help to confirm the date. I could write a fulle report, but this won't help our knowledge of David much, the answer to that lies buried in Paris somewhere, perhaps I'll have better luck next trip! Press www below, then press the Datemarks button.