German Square Piano: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This square piano was made in Germany about 1830. Its maker is unknown and the bentside to the right is reminiscent of the “lying harp” pianos produced in southern Germany in the second half of the 18th century. The cross-string pattern is unique. This piano has a compass of FF-f4, Viennese action, leather hammers, single-strings for the first 31 notes, double-strings for the rest, single strings are cross-strung over the double strings, tuning pins in the front, 1 knee lever: dampers, wood frame, and a Circassian walnut case in the Empire style, with a bentside at the right, and in-curving corners.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1805-1815
• Object Name: piano
• place made: Germany
• ID Number: MI.316628
• accession number: 66832
• catalog number: 316628
• Credit Line: Gift of Hugo Worch
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.