Upright Piano
Friedrich Bernhard Voigt established his piano making workshop in 1813 in Berlin and became designated as a court instrument maker in 1825. His son Carl Ludwig Friedrich later joined the workshop. It ceased to exist with the death of the younger Voigt in 1874.
Technical description: Vertical mahogany veneer case curving upward toward left side, terminating in a square pediment surrounded with carved gilt molding, a smaller similar pediment at lower right side of curve, the ornaments formerly surmounting the pediments now absent; front vertical panels and 2 doors below keyboard backed with green cloth, with brass bead edging and cast brass ornaments; 3-piece hinged keyboard cover (holding music rack) decorated with brass mermaids, fleur-de-lis and other floral designs (central ornament broken); 2 fluted column legs at front, with vertical brass beading and brass collars at both ends; nameboard edged at top with ebony-ivory inlay and holding oval white glass nameplate framed in brass; compass EE-f4 (74 keys), ivory naturals (fronts missing), ebony slips over stained accidental blocks; 4 brass covered pedals; center pair coupled and operating mute stop, left shifting action for una corda, right raising dampers; German "hanging" action with escapement, hammers mounted in brass kapsels with spring return; stained soundboard; bridge entirely backpinned; square tuning pins (possibly replacements), note names stamped on pinblock, string gauges inked on bridge; strings up to d2 damped by felt and leather-padded L-arms mounted with screws to batten and returned by wire springs; probably 16 more dampers originally; top 45 notes triple-strung, remainder double-strung, lowest 6 notes wound; damper rail and pads possibly replacements.
Technical description: Vertical mahogany veneer case curving upward toward left side, terminating in a square pediment surrounded with carved gilt molding, a smaller similar pediment at lower right side of curve, the ornaments formerly surmounting the pediments now absent; front vertical panels and 2 doors below keyboard backed with green cloth, with brass bead edging and cast brass ornaments; 3-piece hinged keyboard cover (holding music rack) decorated with brass mermaids, fleur-de-lis and other floral designs (central ornament broken); 2 fluted column legs at front, with vertical brass beading and brass collars at both ends; nameboard edged at top with ebony-ivory inlay and holding oval white glass nameplate framed in brass; compass EE-f4 (74 keys), ivory naturals (fronts missing), ebony slips over stained accidental blocks; 4 brass covered pedals; center pair coupled and operating mute stop, left shifting action for una corda, right raising dampers; German "hanging" action with escapement, hammers mounted in brass kapsels with spring return; stained soundboard; bridge entirely backpinned; square tuning pins (possibly replacements), note names stamped on pinblock, string gauges inked on bridge; strings up to d2 damped by felt and leather-padded L-arms mounted with screws to batten and returned by wire springs; probably 16 more dampers originally; top 45 notes triple-strung, remainder double-strung, lowest 6 notes wound; damper rail and pads possibly replacements.
Artwork Details
- Title: Upright Piano
- Maker: Friedrich Bernhard Voigt (German, Altefähr, Rügen 1779-1861 Berlin)
- Date: 1832
- Geography: Germany
- Culture: German
- Medium: Wood, various materials
- Dimensions: H.: 216 cm (85-1/4 in.); W.: 125.2 cm (49-3/8 in.); D. 63.6 cm (25-1/8 in.)
Case w/o pedal mechanistm 37 cm - Classification: Chordophone-Zither-struck-piano
- Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George Henry McClure, 1977
- Object Number: 1977.218
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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