List of Keyboards 

Foto : Dan Johansson

This square piano was made by Gottlob Emanuel Hüfner in Nürnberg, Germany around 1785-1795. It is a very unusual square piano, called a “pantalon” because of its two sets of hammers. The bare hammers are used to play loud passages, and the leather-covered ones for soft passages. This piano has a compass of FF-g3, Prell action without escapement, uncovered wood hammers, and an oak case

Photo Credit: Daderot Wikicommons

Photo Credit: Uni of Leipzig

The original "F. Hoxa" fortepiano was built in Vienna in 1830 by Friederich Hoxa, an important composer who served as President of the Vienna Fortepiano Builders' Guild from 1825 to 1832.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length: 150 cm 2.35
Range: 6.5 octaves
Bare brass and bare iron triple strings throughout
New windchest identical to the original in size, structure, and placement
Viennese action, with brass fork and fixed escapement
PEDALS

"Una corda" pedal
"bassoon" pedal
"damper" pedal
"moderator" pedal
"banda barca" pedal for cymbals, bass drum, and bells
Weight of each key: 30 grams
Depth of each key: 7 mm
Reddish mahogany case, polished with shellac
Tuning: A = 440

Photo Credit: FuriaRavin Wikicommons

This square piano was made by Houston & Co., London, England around 1795. This piano features a “nag’s head” swell which is a pedal-operated stop that pushes a rod, sometimes shaped something like a horse’s head, against the part of the piano’s lid in the front and to the right of the keyboard. This allowed more volume out of the piano when the lid was down and could be used to make a crescendo and diminuendo effect. The piano is serial number 1434 and has a compass of FF-f3, an English double (Geib “grasshopper”) action, leather hammers, double-strings throughout with the tuning pins on the right, 1 pedal: “nag’s head” swell, 2 hand stops: lute and dampers, a wood frame, and a mahogany case

Credit: Smithsonian

In 1835 Horstmann presents three different pianos at the National Industrial Exposition in Brussels. At the National expo of 1848 he receives the golden medal. In 1842 the piano builder opens a business where he not only sells his own instruments, but offers his clients foreign brands such as Erard, Pape and Mercier. This square piano has a unique design due to the keyboard sticking out of the cabinet.

Technical data:

• Inscription: Horstmann

• Compass: 6 octavesand 9 notes (CC-a'''')

• Keyboard: naturals in ivory, sharps in ebony

• Pedals: 1: forte

• Dimensions: W 116 cm / D 91 cm / H 87 cm

• Case: rosewood veneer

• Literature: VANDERVELLEN, P. "Le pianoforte dans les provinces belges (1761-1851)"

• Chris Maene Collection number: CM 66 120

• Location: 1 - Museum "Piano's Maene" Brussels