Collard and Collard Square Piano

[Pianomate]

Hi Guys. Finally found a square piano for my restoration project. Case has been knocked about a bit but the internals don't need too much work inside to get it playing (to begin with at least).

On first appearances, I would guess it dates from the 1830s or 1840s but I'm sure more will be revealed as I get some photos etc. Hopefully members of the forum will be able to give me some advice.

[Bill Kibby]

I used to have one. Any numbers?

[Pianomate]

Will look later. I need some replacement strings. Where can I get suitable strings from as I expect most of the suppliers usual ones will be high tensile type?

[Bill Kibby]

There are speciaiist suppliers for old-style wire, I'm sorry I don't know who they are, but I imagine you will be stuck with modern wire if you order bass strings. I replaced some steels on my 1843 one and they didn't seem any different to modern ones, but changes in wire-drawing were happening at quite a rate in the 1800s, after the development of the telegraph.

[Barrie Heaton]

Will look later. I need some replacement strings. Where can I get suitable strings from as I expect most of the suppliers usual ones will be high tensile type?

on the Piano parts section Lucy Coad, Music Room Antiques and Malcolm Rose's do strings for early keyboards

Barrie,

[Pianomate]

Finally managed to get it indoors and into the upstairs study (my den). Surprisingly it is more or less fully functional. A couple of the hammers have come detached from the rail (I believe they are attached by leather hinges), and one string is broken but I'm going to have a go at splicing it tomorrow. Case needs a LOT of attention.

Does anyone have any tips for getting the leather strip out of the hammer shank and replacing it? Are there better, more modern materials I could use instead of leather? Looks very fine and I don't think I've got anything similar.

Anyway, the name transfer says Collard and Collard, late Clementi, Collard and Collard

On the frame is marked William Bogg and Sons
923
Manchester
872

[Bill Kibby]

By 1832, they were known as "Collard & Collard". If you look at my Numbers page at http://www.pianogen.org you'll see that three-digit numbers seem to be models, and four-digit Collard numbers cannot be dated accurately, so unless there is a longer number my best guess is "circa 1835". If you would email photos, I may be able to improve on the estimate. By 1843, they had the longer numbers, following Clementi's sequence again after a break in that pattern. Boggs was a retailer, certainly there by the 1880s, but I don't know if he was there earlier, I'll see what I can find on card and paper files.

[Pianomate]

I managed to splice the broken string, so all OK there.

Hi. Can anyone please advise the best way to replace the broken vellum hammer hinges?

Thanks

[Bill Kibby]

I don't think there are any wise shortcuts, you need to cut out the old hinge and replace it. A junior hacksaw might do it, or a mini-drill set with cutting tools. Some people have experimented with plastic sheeting, but I don't imagine it would last long before becoming fatigued.

[Pianomate]

I guessed as much. I will also contact Lucy Coad for some vellum.

Thanks

[david g]

There is a very helpful organisation in the UK, "Friends of Square Pianos". You should contact them. You can easily find them with Google.

[vernon]

you need a vellum saw which is very fine with no set. I've got granpa's which I use about every 100 years or so. Junior hacksaw is too fierce and too thick. Stanley knife with a chipped edge may do tho still a bit thick

[Gill the Piano]

Heckschers used to sell vellum. Or you can try a bookbinder.