Woodward & Brown

[jimpeterson]

Hello, Guys...I just acquired a Woodward & Brown piano, and would like to know where any numbers would be to tell me the date of manufacture of the piano.
I found out, that the piano was shipped from Boston aboard a sailing ship, and went around The Horn to San Francisco, and then overland to Virginia City, Nevada. It ended up in The Bucket of Blood Saloon in VC, for sometime, and then nobody seems to know where it went next.
While in Virginia City, it was painted a horrible white color, which, hopefully I can remove and refinish.
Could someone tell me what would be the right type finish to use, and what means to remove the white?
In a couple weeks, I plan to move it to my winter home in Mexico, and start my project.
I thank you for any help you can offer,
jim Peterson
Gardnerville Nevada USA/Bacubirito, Mexico

[Bill Kibby]

We don't see them this side of the ocean, so I can't advise you about finish, or about where the numbers would be, but it is usual to open the top and be able to see them. You may find clues at pianogen.org

Serial numbers for Woodward & Brown only cover the period from 1845 to 1871, so this is likely to be an antique, and the finish on the outside is much less urgent and expensive than the mechanical repairs, and the question of whether it can be tuned. Have a word with your local tuner.

Sometimes, it seems that almost every American piano went round the Horn, or perhaps it is just a good yarn that someone has passed on. What kind of piano is it? Can you email photos to me?

[jimpeterson]

Good morning, Bill...My piano is a W & B Square Grand. Fantastic condition considering the life it's had. I bought the piano, mostly for decoration furniture in my house, and I'm not really sure what I'll do about the finish yet. And I understand what you say about the mechanical repairs and tuning being important, but this piano will be located in Sinaloa Mexico, where the favorite musical instrument is the tuba, and after a couple beers, nobody will know or care if the piano is in tune or not; just like nobody cared when it was in Virginia City Nevada at the Bucket of Blood Saloon. What is important to me, is the history of the instrument, and the fact that it was made about the same date as my house. And, I'm sure Mark Twain had a drink and listened to this piano when he lived and worked there in Virginia City.
And now that I've thought about it; at that date, only way to get from Boston to San Francisco, was overland by horse or oxen, or go around the horn. Either way, the piano had a hard trip.
jim

[Bill Kibby]

A man after my own heart. People often think we are mad to collect antique pianos as display object, for their historical value rather than cash value...

TUBA?!

[Bill Kibby]

I should have said, if you simply google "square piano" and select images, you will probably find lots of examples that may give you a guide to the likely finish.

[jimpeterson]

Good morning, Bill, and All...
Sorry for my abrupt exit, but at that time when I last emailed you, we were in the middle of a small snow storm, and I found out that a much larger storm was on it's way, and I hit the road for my winter home in Mexico. I went from freezing weather here, to 85 degree weather down there.
In my town in Mexico, we have no phone service, and so, have no Internet. You would think, that you wouldn't be able to live without the 'Net, but I seem to survive just fine.
I'll crank up the camera, and take some flicks of the W&B, and send them in the next couple days.
The favorite musicial instrument, is really the Sousaphone, but tuba is right behind it. You hear radios playing around town, with Sousaphone solos playing all the time.
When a lotta Germans migrated to Mexico 100+ years ago, they left their marks there with beer and music. The beer is just fantastic, but,I wish I could trade sausages for the Sousaphone stuff.
jim

[jimpeterson]

Hello, Bill and Everyone...jim Peterson here; the guy with the Woodward Brown Square Piano that was going to take the piano to Mexico for my old house. I'm also the guy who was going to send pictures of the piano. Well, I got called to Mexico about that time, and when I got down there, the ants and other critters had eaten a a two foot section out of a mahogany table I had stored in the house. That changed my plans on taking the piano down, and with the piano living it's whole life here in Nevada, where we get two or three inches of rain a year, to a place that has monsoon rains for five months, and 95% humidity, and all the bugs that go with it, I finally sobered up enough to see that this was not going to work. I called the guy who was storing the piano for me, and had him sell it for me.
One good thing about this whole thing was reading about these pianos, and the classy group you have over there.
Also, about that time, I happened into a gold deal, that really looks good. I had promised myself, that I would never enter into another mining deal, but with the price of gold now, I just couldn't help myself; like an old whore.
Anyway, that's why I never sent the photos like I said I would I would a year ago.
Thanks for your website, with really interesting postings from everyone.
Take care,
jim Peterson
Gardnerville Nevada USA/Bacubirito Sinaloa Mexico