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Chickering 6'6" Grand Piano 1899 >Fully Restored and Updated
Estimated price for orientation: 5 900 $
Category: Grand and Baby Grand Pianos
Class:
Description Condition: Seller refurbished: An item that has been restored to working order by the eBay seller or a third party not approved by the manufacturer. This means the item has been inspected, cleaned, and repaired to full working order and is in excellent condition. This item may or may not be in original packaging. See the seller’s listing for full details. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Brand: Chickering Model: Concert Parlor Grand
1899 Chickering 6'6" Concert Grand Fully Restored and Rebuilt with the Best Available OptionsClassic Honduras Mahogany Case with double Doric Column legs and Rosewood TrimMaintained for 14+ years by Master Piano Restorer for Eastman School of MusicFrom the mid 1800's through the 1920's the Chickering brand, based in Boston, MA, won more International Piano Awards than any other brand. Certainly Playel, Steinway, Mason Hamlin, and others were well regarded, but Chickering was the brand of choice for many great pianists of that era. By the 1930's Chickering had started to fade from prominence and Steinway had risen to the position they still maintain.The top Chickering pianos from the Golden Chickering era from the 1880's through 1907 are magnificent instruments, This 1899 Chickering was absolutely the best 6'6" Grand Piano that could be had. It combined a 6'6" Parlor Grand size with a sound more typical of an 8' Concert Grand. This is done with a much wider harp than is normally used in a grand piano. The extra harp width can therefore accommodate a longer bass diagonal and longer strings more often seen in 8' Concert Grands. The extra strength of the larger harp can also handle the tension required of the heavier concert bass strings. Indeed many accomplished pianists who have played this piano comment that the low bass notes are as good as any 8' concert grand they have ever played.This incredibly well-built Chickering was completely restored in the 1980's in Georgetown/Chevy Chase. According to the Piano Restorer who has maintained this piano for many years the very best parts and individual actions were used in the restoration. An unrestored 1899 piano does not have individual key action so the touch is quite different from the best pianos of recent years. This restoration kept the best features and sweet sound of the vintage Chickering and updated what was needed, such as individual key action, with the best materials available.The original soundboard is completely intact and even the Chickering manufacturing details are intact as you can see in the pictures. Also original are the Ivory keys which many purists prefer. The massive harp that is responsible for the rigidity to support 8' grand bass stringing was refinished in this restoration, and the raised Chickering Crest in the harp was repainted to the original Chickering colors. Since the initial restoration more work has been done on the unique Chickering split pin blocks. A damaged portion of the pedal Lyre was made by hand by the current piano restorer to match the original wood and design.Perhaps most unique for an 1899 Chickering is the classic restrained case design. Most Victorian pianos have massive legs that have not withstood the test of time very well. No matter how beautiful the wood the typical Victorian piano leg looks dated - and they are usually an awful mix of no particular design era that was typical of Victorian machined furniture.THIS 1899 CHICKERING features beautiful classic double Doric column legs. There are six column legs in pairs at the three support points - trimmed in Rosewood with brass bottom trim and caster holders. This design is as timeless today as it was when the piano was built, and it will be in perfect taste another hundred years from now.The six-leg design was certainly done for style, but it is also a clever design to further spread the massive weight of this piano. That weight, width, and incredible build quality would be just too expensive to duplicate today - but that is also the reason this piano sounds like it does.When the case was restored the wood was refinished in its natural color without stain. The beautiful graining you see in the photographs is actually the beautiful colors of the wood. The case was recently refreshed with a light sanding and a fresh coat of satin lacquer.The included piano bench appears to be the same wood as the piano and it is likely similar vintage. However, as you can see if you look closely it has Queen Anne legs and is not an exact match to the piano. We have searched for many years for a piano bench with similar doric column legs but we have not found one that is the same or similar style. The included bench does blend well with the piano, and it probably has a terrific story with it that is long since forgotten. We searched for this piano for many years, and it is with great sadness that we are selling this 117 year old treasure. We have retired to a home on the side of a mountain on a beautiful lake in Mexico. Unfortunately the piano is too heavy and too large to be lifted by our elevator from the street to our new home. While there are also steps to the mountainside home it is just too steep without room on the steps for t
Description
| Condition: | Seller refurbished: An item that has been restored to working order by the eBay seller or a third party not approved by the manufacturer. This means the item has been inspected, cleaned, and repaired to full working order and is in excellent condition. This item may or may not be in original packaging. See the seller’s listing for full details. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition | Brand: | Chickering |
| Model: | Concert Parlor Grand |
1899 Chickering 6'6" Concert Grand Fully Restored and Rebuilt with the Best Available OptionsClassic Honduras Mahogany Case with double Doric Column legs and Rosewood TrimMaintained for 14+ years by Master Piano Restorer for Eastman School of MusicFrom the mid 1800's through the 1920's the Chickering brand, based in Boston, MA, won more International Piano Awards than any other brand. Certainly Playel, Steinway, Mason Hamlin, and others were well regarded, but Chickering was the brand of choice for many great pianists of that era. By the 1930's Chickering had started to fade from prominence and Steinway had risen to the position they still maintain.The top Chickering pianos from the Golden Chickering era from the 1880's through 1907 are magnificent instruments, This 1899 Chickering was absolutely the best 6'6" Grand Piano that could be had. It combined a 6'6" Parlor Grand size with a sound more typical of an 8' Concert Grand. This is done with a much wider harp than is normally used in a grand piano. The extra harp width can therefore accommodate a longer bass diagonal and longer strings more often seen in 8' Concert Grands. The extra strength of the larger harp can also handle the tension required of the heavier concert bass strings. Indeed many accomplished pianists who have played this piano comment that the low bass notes are as good as any 8' concert grand they have ever played.This incredibly well-built Chickering was completely restored in the 1980's in Georgetown/Chevy Chase. According to the Piano Restorer who has maintained this piano for many years the very best parts and individual actions were used in the restoration. An unrestored 1899 piano does not have individual key action so the touch is quite different from the best pianos of recent years. This restoration kept the best features and sweet sound of the vintage Chickering and updated what was needed, such as individual key action, with the best materials available.The original soundboard is completely intact and even the Chickering manufacturing details are intact as you can see in the pictures. Also original are the Ivory keys which many purists prefer. The massive harp that is responsible for the rigidity to support 8' grand bass stringing was refinished in this restoration, and the raised Chickering Crest in the harp was repainted to the original Chickering colors. Since the initial restoration more work has been done on the unique Chickering split pin blocks. A damaged portion of the pedal Lyre was made by hand by the current piano restorer to match the original wood and design.Perhaps most unique for an 1899 Chickering is the classic restrained case design. Most Victorian pianos have massive legs that have not withstood the test of time very well. No matter how beautiful the wood the typical Victorian piano leg looks dated - and they are usually an awful mix of no particular design era that was typical of Victorian machined furniture.THIS 1899 CHICKERING features beautiful classic double Doric column legs. There are six column legs in pairs at the three support points - trimmed in Rosewood with brass bottom trim and caster holders. This design is as timeless today as it was when the piano was built, and it will be in perfect taste another hundred years from now.The six-leg design was certainly done for style, but it is also a clever design to further spread the massive weight of this piano. That weight, width, and incredible build quality would be just too expensive to duplicate today - but that is also the reason this piano sounds like it does.When the case was restored the wood was refinished in its natural color without stain. The beautiful graining you see in the photographs is actually the beautiful colors of the wood. The case was recently refreshed with a light sanding and a fresh coat of satin lacquer.The included piano bench appears to be the same wood as the piano and it is likely similar vintage. However, as you can see if you look closely it has Queen Anne legs and is not an exact match to the piano. We have searched for many years for a piano bench with similar doric column legs but we have not found one that is the same or similar style. The included bench does blend well with the piano, and it probably has a terrific story with it that is long since forgotten. We searched for this piano for many years, and it is with great sadness that we are selling this 117 year old treasure. We have retired to a home on the side of a mountain on a beautiful lake in Mexico. Unfortunately the piano is too heavy and too large to be lifted by our elevator from the street to our new home. While there are also steps to the mountainside home it is just too steep without room on the steps for t