Lot 1167

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Description:

Rare John Siegling, Charleston, South Carolina pianoforte by Gunther & Horwood circa 1828, inlaid and brass-mounted mahogany case with triple-hinged top, original dust board, left top section mounted with sheet music rest, right section separately hinged to allow volume control, keyboard retaining its 73 original ivory keys set within brass inlaid rosewood gallery with pierce-carved panels and center cartouche with maker's name, the midsection of the case decorated with brass lamb's tongue molding trailing around the front and sides, the case fitted with one long and two short drawers for sheet music storage, rectangular plinths form the top support of each leg above scrolling stylized-leaf inlays, turned and reeded legs with brass beaded rings at the capital, ending with brass cuff casters.
H35 1/2" W68 1/4" D26 1/4"

Provenance: Records in the South Carolina Historial Society show that the piano was ordered by the Siegling Music House, Charleston, South Carolina in 1828 and purchased by a Mrs. Jenkins that same year.
Asscended through a Charleston family with ties to Flat Rock, North Carolina. Purchased from that family by the current owner.
Property of a Southern gentleman's private collection, Charleston, South Carolina.

Other Notes: Label reads: Gunther & Horwood/Manufacturers/Pratt Place, Camden Town, London/Made for John Siegling, of Charleston, South Carolina.

Case restored by Guenther Wood Group, Savannah, Georgia. A copy of their conservation report can be furnished upon request. Other than tuning, the piano is in playable condition.

This is a rare and only known surviving example of a Charleston pianoforte outside of museums. A similar piano retailed by the Siegling Music House can be found in the collection of the Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina.

The History of the Siegling Music House:
Before it closed in 1974, the Siegling Music House in Charleston had stood as both the first music publishing and instrument retailing company in the nation, and one of the longest operating businesses in the Carolinas. Upon founding his company on Broad Street in 1819, John Siegling, a German-born immigrant from Erfurt, quickly earned his reputation as a dedicated and successful Charleston merchant, instrument maker, and importer. In addition to offering volumes of print music, Siegling sold, rented, tuned, and repaired organs, harps, guitars, drums, pianos, violins, and wind instruments of all kinds. In 1840, the thriving business relocated to a larger building at 243 King Street, and began advertising as "America's oldest music house." By the 1890s, Siegling Music House began offering phonographs, phono-autographs, and other forms of recorded productions alongside its extensive instrument inventory. In fact, the store's exterior was eventually remodeled to include a recital hall, thus providing a venue for live performances and recordings. During this time, the family business also expanded, opening a second store in Florence, SC.
For more than 150 years the Siegling family owned, operated, and maintained their successful music shop. Today, many of Siegling's historic instruments, written records, and audio recordings are held within the collections of The Charleston Museum, all of which were donated by family descendants.

- Courtesy of Grahame Long, Curator of History of the Charleston Museum.

    Condition:
  • Several keys are sticking in down position, two hammers are broken, it does not appear that the workings have been restored in recent history.


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December 5, 2010 1:00 PM EST
West Columbia, SC, US

Charlton Hall

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