Hilton & Co Piano History

[kozi]

Hello folks ive recently got my hands on a my very first Upright Piano and wanting to find a little history behind it?
The piano has got "Hilton & Co" writen in Gold writing in the centre of the key cover, also it has got "Wilson Peck, Faregate Sheffield" writen on it on the right hand side of the key cover.

[Bill Kibby]

This is a bit of a puzzle, because Hilton & Hilton were a well-known firm in Yorkshire by 1886, but this piano appears to be later, perhaps around 1900, and I am surprised I haven't come across Hilton & Co. before. As mentioned on my Edwardian page at
http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html
the curved shapes of the panels tend to be found in pianos between the 1890s to the 1920s.

Wilson Peck moved to Fargate soon after 1899, and sold Hilton & Hilton pianos, but in more recent times, they had no archive material, as mentioned on my Archives page at
http://www.pianohistory.info/archives.html

So you see my puzzle, the piano appears to be before 1886, but after 1899! Interestingly, Hilton & Hilton were not listed by Kellys' directores in 1911, so perhaps they changed to Hilton & Co., then changed back. However, "Hilton & Co." pianos were still made in the twenties.

[kozi]

Thank you ever so much for posting :) i cant find anything on 'Hilton & Co' as a company hence the post, i can see where your coming from with the dates it certainly is a puzzle haha, either way i realy like the piano and cant wait to get playing her :) just got to let it settle down before i can get it tuned and away i go

[Bill Kibby]

I was still writing my answer when you read it, so have another look.

With a piano of this age, you cannot assume that it will hold in tune well, or even be capable of being tuned at all.

[Colin Nicholson]

Looks rather Art Nouveau style?

(mainly for Kozi's benefit) .... there was probably 2 brass candlesticks & brackets fitted years ago, on the left & right hand panels - known as sconces; pity they are missing. The random shellac brush marks often hide filled screw holes where they once were fitted. Pianos usually just take a few days to settle prior to tuning, depending on central heating.

[kozi]

Ive just had a close look at the front panel and if you look closely you can see where 3 holes either side have been filled in and stained over so more than likely hand the brass candle holders :) mite have to try and find some and replace it back to its original form, its got a thick metal frame inside which all the wires are connected to, will that give it a good chance of getting tuned up??
Many thanks for getting in touch :D

[Bill Kibby]

The item I gave a link for says "From the 1890s to the 1920s, some upright pianos had curved shapes to the inset panels of the top doors, perhaps related to Art Nouveau, with its flowing curves and floral designs, including the so-called “Owl Eyes” with two curving panels that taper towards the middle."

If the piano is in good general condition the frame will help, but if the wrestpins (tuning pins) are loose, they will still slip.

[Bill Kibby]

A 1922 ad for Hopkinson Successors mentions Hilton & Co. pianos at a time when Hilton & Hilton certainly existed, so they may have been separate firms, or simply used 2 different names in overlapping periods.