Square Piano
Benjamin Crehore
ca. 1800–1810 · Mahogany, rosewood, pine, maple, iron, brass, ivory, ebony, various materials. · Musical Instruments
Benjamin Crehore may have been the first native born American maker of pianos and was the earliest New England piano maker that is known. This square piano is one of six pianos documented by this maker. Technical description: Rectangular mahogany and rosewood veneered case with bird's eye maple veneer on nameboard, with floral design and with fretwork on either end; on square tapered mahogany-veneer legs with inlaid borders; compass FF-c4 (68 keys), ivory naturals with molded fronts, ebony slips over black-stained accidental blocks; damper pedal implied by hole in case bottom (pedal missing); legs tenoned to frame of independent stand; English double action, intermediate lever with single escapement; wires passing through wood plate adjacent to hitchpin rail carry felt-lined wood damper blocks; unpierced tuning pins; double-strung throughout, lowest eight notes wound.
- Artist
- Benjamin Crehore
- Date
- ca. 1800–1810
- Medium
- Mahogany, rosewood, pine, maple, iron, brass, ivory, ebony, various materials.
- Culture
- North American, Massachusetts
- Department
- Musical Instruments
- Credit line
- The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
