Collard & Collard

[nelohshopper]

Attached are pics of a Collard & Collard, London piano. Stamped in the upper left of the sound board is: 379...it is also stamped on the back of the soundboard. The wood appears to be a burled pecan, but not sure..The intricate, ornate work on the front of the piano along with the keyboard cover and legs make is quite unique. We believe it to be over 200 yrs old, but your site info isn't confirming that.

We have not dismantled to the point of taking out keys...don't feel real comfortable about that process..but ...

Can you tell us anything from the pics? It is quite a beauty when it's all put together. Never have seen anything to compare.

Many thanks!

[Bill Kibby]

If you look at my Numbers page, you will read that the numbers published for Clementi and Collard are a complete nonsense. The company was not known as Collard & Collard until Clementi's death in 1832, and this piano is not that early, it is a typical London Cottage Piano with the normal pierced fretwork front, I would guess about 1870. Cottage pianos are the commonest, most numerous Victorian pianos to survive, I have several. Have a look at this link...
http://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forum ... f=2&t=8718

Also, 379 is not a serial number, it is a model number, but there should be a longer number handwritten underneath it, perhaps in the region of 100,000. It appears from your photos that the whole of the damper assembly is missing, do you still have it? Replacing it would cost more than the piano is worth, so although the notes may sound, they won't stop for a long time!

The fretwork appears to be in excellent condition, but the mauve cloth is a little too colourful to be original.

[Colin Nicholson]

Have you just bought, or given this piano for free?

Certainly attractive - the wood looks more like burred walnut, and it will be a veneer, not solid wood. Although these pianos make wonderful pieces of furniture (and a good talking point) - it will remain to be seen if it can become a musical instrument again. As Bill has said, the dampers are missing - oops! .... so regrettably this wont be able to be tuned. Even if some attempt was made a tuning it, I'm not sure if the mechanism would be up to the job? A few broken hammers could spell danger.

If you contact a piano tuner, they may be able to offer you more help.

[Bill Kibby]

Have a look at my booklets page...
http://pianogen.org/booklets.html

[Colin Nicholson]

Have you by any chance removed the damper assembly yourself, or was it missing when you got the piano?

Just browsing I came across this....

http://www.davidboyce.co.uk/birdcage-pianos.php

The mechanism showing (bird cage) is typical of the late 1800's and early 1900's, and should be installed above the hammers as shown. This also briefly mentions the 'Cottage Piano' and it having the old spring & loop mechanism. If the dampers are completely missing, your piano can only be used as a piece of furniture as it will be unbearable to the ear!

Relating this to a vintage car.... its like buying one with the original engine, but the WHOLE of the braking system including calipers, brake pipes, master cylinder, pads & shoes - the lot ripped out.... so nothing to stop the car.

[Bill Kibby]

Cottage pianos like this almost always have sticker actions, which do have overdampers, but are not spring and loop actions, and they do not fit in with the "birdcage" idea because the damper wires are further in, running up the sides of the hammers. David Boyce actually talks about "cottage industry pianos", a very different thing altogether, presumably referring to the small local firms producing pianos one at a time in small sheds and workshops.