List of Keyboards
Square Piano by Longman & Broderip
This square piano was made by Longman & Broderip in London, England, in 1796. It is a rather early piano with 5 octaves and a fourth. The firm began making instruments with that range in about 1794. The piano has a compass of FF-c4, an English single action, leather hammers, double-strings, first 11 notes wound, tuning pins on right, 1 pedal (missing): dampers, wood frame, and a mahogany case.
Credit: Smithsonian
Square Piano/Pipe Organ by Longman & Broderip
This organized piano, or square piano with an organ, is an extremely rare instrument. It is signed by Eaton Pe[ther]? and the nameboard lists the piano making firm of Longman & Broderip. The case is of mahogany, with the piano on top. A hinge on the back of the piano case allows the piano to open up for access to the box below containing the organ mechanism. The bellows are located in the lower right of the case and can either be pumped by the player using a pedal to the right side of the keyboard, or by a second person standing to the side of the case.
Two similar piano-organ instruments exist, one also by Longman & Broderip (serial number 1742) in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum and one by Johannes Pohlman located in the Leipzig collection. Credit: Met Museum
Square Piano by Longman & Broderip
This square piano was made by Longman & Broderip in London, England around 1795-1805. The inscription on the name board may be true but is certainly not original, probably stenciled on the paper label. It is completely unlike any authentic Longman & Broderip label, of which there are a great many in existence. This piano has a compass of FF-c4, an English double action, double-strings throughout, with tuning pins on the right, 1 pedal: dampers, wood frame, and a mahogany (?) case
Credit: Smithsonian
Square Piano by Longman & Broderip
This square piano was made in London, England around 1786. Longman & Broderip was a series of companies began about 1767 by James Longman who never manufactured pianos but sold them and later commissioned other makers to produce pianos. He was joined by Francis Broderip in 1775. In 1798, financial reverses ended in bankruptcy. The nameboard misspells Broderip’s name and is inscribed “LONGMAN and BROADRIP.” The piano has a compass of FF-f3, English sinle (Zumpe type) action, leather hammers, strings are double-strung throughout, turning pins to the right, 3 hand stops: moderator, bass and treble dampers, and a wood frame in a walnut case
Credit: Smithsonian
Cabinet Piano by Loeschman, C
Cabinet piano on two legs. Copper decorations and covered with blue silk. Six octaves. Marked: "By the King's Royal Letter Patent / Enharmonic Forte Pianos / Organs & the Terpodion / Manufacturers Messrs. Loeschman & Co / Newman Street Oxford Street, London
Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (CC0 Public Domain), via Rijksstudio / Rijksmuseum Collection.
