Collard & Collard Square Grand

[Ogijareno]

Hi,

My name is Miguel Ángel and I am working at University of Granada taking care of certain music activities. We are researching about an old Collard&Collard square grand the university own. I would greatly appreciate any help in dating the instrument. I've read about your web page and know all problems in dating those instruments (including your special mentions to four-digits numbers for Collar&Collar and others).

I am sending several photos to help. There is only one obvious number on the soundboard (2122). I couldn't find any other marks or numbers, altough I will keep looking around.

I think it would be around 1830 or perhaps earlier, but all examples I found on Collards 1820' pianos are marked with much bigger numbers (like 17000 for a 1822 grand or 12000 for and 1830 square grand.

I hope you can help me and let me thank you in advance.

[Bill Kibby]

This is the same message you emailed to me last night, before this posting, so I have already answered what I can on the subject, and the photos you mention are not here. For the benefit of readers here, the early numbers Michel published for Clementi and Collard are complete nonsense, mainly because we have original ads that prove that the firm became Collard & Collard in 1832, immediately after Clementi's death. This means the Clementi numbers are all much too late, and the early Collard numbers are impossible. I have estimated this square piano #2122 at 1837, but no hard evidence is available. It will be after 1831.

[vernon]

We've just restored one about the same vintage

[Bill Kibby]

Can you tell its number or numbers? I am especially interested in the cross-combinations when they have more than one.

[vernon]

Bill
Are you asking me or Senor Ogijareno?
The number seemed to be 16414 on ours tho' that seems rather high.
bw