List of Keyboards 

The Hitchcock family were a dynasty of highly celebrated English musical instrument makers in London during the 17th and 18th centuries, renowned for producing some of the finest and most prolific bentside spinets of the Georgian era

Photo Credit: Daderot Wikicommons

This harpsichord was made by Thomas Hitchcock in London, around 1703-1710. It is a bentside spinet with a compass of GG - g3, and a disposition of 1 x 8’. This instrument has a spruce soundboard, and ebony naturals with ivory arcade front and “skunk tail” accidentals. The nameboard is inscribed: “Thomas Hitchcock Londini Fecit No. 1228.” The jackrail is inscribed: “ACTI LABORES JUCUNDI” (labors are pleasant).

The inseparable case is made of walnut with two large ornamented brass hinges. The keyboard cover has three smaller brass hinges and a brass lock plate. The stand with turned legs is not original.

Thomas Hitchcock was a prolific spinet maker, producing over a thousand instruments in his lifetime

Credit: Smithsonian

Concord Museum Collection, Gift of Mr. J. Fletcher Carr; F614.

Image Courtesy of the Concord Museum

Technical description: Case with mitered tail, of walnut walls and front of name board veneered with satinwood, with dark stringing; walnut lid appears altered, may not be original; stand with four turned legs and stretchers; GG-g3, ebony naturals with ivory arcades, skunktail accidentals of an ebony fillet surrounded by ivory sides, key frame was originally two-rail frame with overhead dip rail, keys guided by vertical pins that fit into slots in the rear of key levers; jacks of pear on fruitwood, bristle springs, quill plectra; box register built of shaped blocks; jacks and key levers have small lead weights that may be original; no rose in soundboard. Credit (Douglas Maple 1983)

The Hitchcock family were a dynasty of highly celebrated English musical instrument makers in London during the 17th and 18th centuries, renowned for producing some of the finest and most prolific bentside spinets of the Georgian era

Photo Credit: Daderot Wikicommons

Photo Credit: Mike Peel Wikicommons

This square piano was made by Joseph Hisky in Baltimore, Maryland about 1843. Hisky was a Viennese piano maker who became one of the earliest piano manufacturers in Baltimore. The nameboard on this piano is inscribed “Joseph Hisky / from Vienne / Baltimore.” This piano is serial number 9629 and has a compass of FF-f4, Viennese action, single-strings FF-C, double-strings C#-b2, triple-strings c3-f4, tuning pins in the front, 4 pedals: bassoon, dampers, moderator, and Janissary (drum and bells), an iron string plate frame, and a mahogany case

Credit: Smithsonian 

This square piano was made by Joseph Hisky in Baltimore, Maryland around 1820-1830. Hisky immigrated to America from Vienna in the early part of the 19th century . While most of Hisky’s output were square pianos, he also sold grands, uprights, “harmonic pianos and keyed harps” from America and abroad. This piano is serial number 1745 and has a compass of FF-f4, Viennese action, leather hammers, double-string with tuning pins on the right, 2 (or 3) pedals: dampers, Janissary (drum and bells), a wood frame, and a mahogany case.