The Complete List / Antique Instruments

We are pleased to offer the following antique keyboard instruments for sale, backed by over 32 years of activity in the early keyboard field. With each instrument we will attempt to provide you with as detailed a provenance as possible.

Our current offerings:

#2961 (shown above) MA Sold
Square Piano by Alpheus Babcock, Boston about 1826, # 215; Surveyed by Darcy Kuronen, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; .FF - c'''', 68 notes; ebony / ivory keyboard; brass plate on nameboard: "Made by/A.Babcock /for R Mackay/Boston". Repair work by Tim Hamilton, this is a beautiful antique instrument with a lovely sound. Owned and maintained by a professional musician. Extensive documentation available. $4000

#2326 NY (Antique case with modern action)
Challis single manual harpsichord, unusual large compass of 6 octaves, 73 notes, FF - f''''. 8', 8', buff with three pedals, non transposing. Early nineteenth century English case of fine hardwood in excellent condition with handsome late Georgian style legs. Modern action, installed by Challis circa 1970. 77" x 44 1/2". $5000

#3043 RI (shown above)
Audio clip click here
Audio clip 2 click here
Stodart Compensator Grand Fortepiano, circa 1828, meticulously restored by Dale Munschy, Staff Technician at the Harpsichord Clearing House. 78 notes, CCC-f'''', triple strung in English brass and iron, pristine keyboard in ivory and ebony, damper and shift pedals, mahogany case with inlays, English style lid locks. Original finish with slight veneer damage. Recently used in concert by Dale Munschy. $8,000

#2556 HCH Sale Pending
Fortepiano by John Broadwood, 1795; 61 notes, FF - f'''. Professionally serviced and restored by Robert Smith, Boston. The instrument was played in the PBS television series "The Adams Family Chronicle". Currently in need of action work and regulation. Instrument has all original strings but two and all original hammers. As such it is one of the few remaining 18th-century Broadwood squares with original strings. Detail of soundboard. $10,000.

#3059 SC (shown above)
Square piano by Christopher Ganer, London, circa 1785. FF - f''', 61 notes. A very nicely built early square piano; very little case distortion with a well preserved keyboard and completely original hammers, dampers, soundboard and tuning pins. Mahogany case with darker inlaid stringing. Keywell contains a clear inscription from this well known English maker; completely restrung in soft (Rose) wire. The stand is not original, but is very appropriate to the instrument. Includes a removable secondary soundboard which makes a slight but noticeable difference in the tone. Includes tuning and maintenance guide in PDF format. Further technical details available on request. $12,500

#2940 NY (shown above) Sold
Double by Arnold Dolmetsch for Chickering, Boston. Instrument #16, built 1907. 8', 8', 4', peau de buffle, buff stop on either 8'; FF - f''' 61 notes, non transposing. Length 94", width 38". One of only 13 doubles that Dolmetsch built during his association with Chickering, this instrument is currently not in playable condition. HCH has recently completed the restoration of another Dolmetsch double in this series, and would be happy to discuss restoration options. This is a beautiful example of Arnold Dometsch’s groundbreaking work, for the collector of rare historical instruments. $12,500

#2996 TX (shown above) Sold
Antique clavichord, probably Austrian / German, C - f''', 54 notes, double fretted beginning at d#; described in the Morris Steinert Collection catalog as follows: "No.3. - Clavichord, 4 1/2 octaves. 'Gebunden.' Case in rococo style. In white enamel and gold, latter part of the 17th century..." The lid painting and stand are 19th century additions; detail of soundboard. The instrument seems typical of an 18th century northern European instrument; detail of case bottom; reverse keyboard of ebony and ivory, carved key levers. $14,000

#2935 CAN (shown above)
Concert Grand by Erard, London, 1867. This Victorian-period piano is a fine antique in superb condition inside and out; Brazilian rosewood, maple veneered keywell, blacked composite cast-iron frame; keyboard compass is AAA - a'''', 85 notes; scrupulous repairs and adjustments over the past fifteen years from distinguished piano restorer Marinus van Prattenburg, including new correctly-sized, English custom-made hammer heads, new stringing and re-finishing in the 1990's. Erard action is all original, a rare example of the historically important double-escapement action pioneered by this maker; straight-strung, with a cast iron plate mortised into the case, giving it a unique period sound and appearance. Case interior in figured maple, beautifully turned legs and carved details; ivory keyboard, original tuning pins, very stable. $18,000 Canadian.

#3042 HCH (shown above)
Antique English bentside spinet by Harris and Done, 1784. 60 notes FF - f''' without the low FF#. Handsome walnut veneer case with inlaid holly stringing. Keyboard of ebony and ivory. $19,900

#2785 HCH (shown above)
Double by Robert Morley and Co. Ltd., London, circa 1982. Case exterior by John Broadwood, London, 1793. 8', 8', 4', lute and buff. 61 notes, FF to f''', non-transposing. Ivory naturals and ebony accidentals. This is a modern Morley instrument, handsomely set in an antique mahogany case decorated in panels of satinwood, kingwood, mahogany, etc. with two-color stringing and the original fine brass strap hinges. Plastic jacks. Nameboard inscribed "Johannes Broadwood Londini Fecit 1793 Patent / Great Pultney Street Golden Square". Listed in Boalch III as “BROADWOOD, J. 1793 (2)". $19,900

#3074 MT (shown above)
John Broadwood & Sons grand piano, 1856, #18807; 6 octaves, CC- c'''', beautiful rosewood case, nicely turned and detailed legs; 8' long x 52.5" wide; recent regulation includes detail of original felts; triple strung in the alto and treble; two pedals, sostenuto and una corda. $19,500 OBO

#3101 CAN (shown above)
John Broadwood & Sons grand piano, 1847. 6 1/2 octaves, CC - g"". Ivory keyboard, eighty notes. Beautiful sound. Excellent controllable action. Fully restored in 1994 with authentic materials. Brazilian Rosewood case with original French polish finish. Elaborate gadroon edging around the lid, and carvings at the keyboard sides and legs. Often referred to as the Chopin Model, this is a copy of the piano which the Broadwood company loaned to Chopin when he visited London in 1848, now on permanent loan to the Cobbe Collection of Musical Instruments in the UK. Length: 97" or 2.46 mtr. Serial # 16435, AD 1847. Excellent overall condition. $ 27,000 CAN

#2887 VA (shown above)
Fortepiano by Erard, London, 1852, serial #2995; 7 octaves, 85 notes; tuned to A=435; Ivory and ebony keys in excellent condition; Brazilian rosewood case very good condition. 8” 4’ long, restored by Ed Swenson in 2000. Restoration included restoration of original French polish, restringing with modern tuning pins, string plate and braces restored, soundboard cleaned and restored, original hammers recovered by Desfougeres in Paris, original knuckles releathered also by Desfougeres. This instrument has a rich, clear tone and a responsive and reliable action; detail of pedal lyre and leg. CD recording available. $35,000

#2509 HCH (shown above) SOLD
Antique English bentside spinet circa 1735. 58 notes, GG - f''', lacking the bottom G sharp. Built during the reign of George II, this well preserved instrument has a mahogany case with unusual ebony and boxwood stringing in the lid, keywell and on the jackrail. The bentside is veneered with a flame figure and the lid bears the original pierced brass strap hinges. The matching stand is modern. $30,000 / offer

#3087 OR (shown above)
AUDIO 1 (All audio samples played by Jory Vinokur)
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Double by Pleyel, Paris, 1931. 61 notes FF – f'''. Seven pedals: Lower manual: 16',8',4'; buff stop; coupler; upper manual: 8',8' nasale. Ivory keys, "plum pudding" mahogany case. Known as the "Eaton Pleyel", used by Wanda Landowska in a series of radio broadcasts. Good condition. More details available upon request. $35,000

#2857 HCH (shown above)
Fortepiano made in Italy by Carlo Arnoldi, circa the late 1780s, restoration work in 2008 by Tim Hamilton, Boston. Five octaves, FF - f'''. Keyboard and direct action with no escapement work well and appear to be original. Original dampers were missing and a new set were made using the existing casework mounting positions and knee lever as a guide. The piano was restrung in Rose wire and is at present tuned to A430 hz. A music desk was made. The case is pine veneered in cherry with walnut cross banding and maple or boxwood stringing. The spine is unfinished. The piano stands on four legs, one an old replacement and one newer. The finish is of some age. There seem to be some three or four Arnoldi fortepianos in the Rome Museum of Musical Instruments and at least one other in private hands in Italy. Length 1930 mm. Width 895 mm. Playing height 700 mm. Octave span 159 mm. $35,000

#2571 NC (shown above)
Antique fortepiano labeled "Richter & Bechman, Copenhavn" built circa 1815-1820. 73 notes FF-f'''' Probably an anonymous Viennese export piano furnished with the dealer's name, this is an exquisite example, in mint condition of the Biedermeier / early Empire style. Case of mahagony with ornate engraved inlays in boxwood. Built for a Southern Swedish noble family. Naturals of cow bone, sharps with tops of ebony on fruitwood. Triple strung throughout, with una corda (goes to one string), bassoon FF-c, single/double moderator, damper and Janissary action, operated by four pedals and two knee levers. This instrument has hardly been touched or used. Alterations: 19 modern bass tuning pins. Several spots of damage to the veneer. Original music desk included. $55,000.

Previous Offerings now sold:

English Bentside Spinet by Keene n.d.

Semi-grand piano, 1839 by John Broadwood.

Italian Harpsichord, maker unknown, circa 1650 - 1720 - SOLD 7/17/03

Bentside Spinet by Longman & Broderip, 1785

Single manual harpsichord by Jacob Kirkman 1760

Single manual harpsichord by Vincenzo Sodi 1780

#2063 MA - Fortepiano by John Broadwood, 1800. - SOLD

#2235 TX - Square piano by Broadwood, 1804 - sold 10/05