How to Identify a Chickering Square Grand Piano
The Chickering Square Grand Piano was one of the most admired instruments of the 19th century. The Imperial Cross was bestowed upon Boston's Chickering & Sons by Napoleon III, and appears on many of the pianos. Franz Liszt was an early proponent of the Chickering pianos, and they were conspicuous additions to the homes of Queen Victoria and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as to Abraham Lincoln's White House. As popular as they were then, they are extremely rare now. Still, there are telltale signs of any square grand, and the Chickering in particular.
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Instructions
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Note the general shape of the piano. The Chickering Square Grand is a rectangle, actually, and with the lids closed, looks like a bulky dining room table. The corners are rounded, and the keys are recessed into the general rectangular shape, rather than sticking out as with a grand piano. The Chickering logo is centered above the keys, of which there are only 78.
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Look under the hood. There are distinguishing marks of a Chickering square grand. First, the name Chickering is embossed on the cast-iron stringplate; this iron structure, built into the wooden case as opposed to bolted on to it, is a mark of a Chickering.
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Note the placement of the strings. As was the custom with square grand pianos, the strings run left to right. Unlike the Steinway square grands of the period, though, Chickering strings are all on one level. They are not cross strung. The hammers of the Chickering square grand are also considerably smaller than the hammers of a modern grand piano.
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Listen to the piano. If you have a trained ear, you will notice a distinct difference in the Chickering square grand -- partly because of those lighter hammers. It has a lighter, quieter tone than a modern grand piano.
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Tips & Warnings
You can send photos (inside and out) of a piano that you believe to be a Chickering Square Grand to any of a handful of restorers. They will be happy to authenticate them.
If you plan on buying a Chickering Square Grand piano, be aware that most piano tuners are not familiar with how to tune them.
References
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