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SQUARE PIANO RESTORATION Some of the most common tasks in restoring square pianos are illustrated in the photos below.
General view of a square piano by Matthew & William Stodart, made in London c1806. A good example for restoration, with few parts missing, and the fretwork on the nameboard not broken, which is always a welcome sight. Stodart's use of good quality ivory means that the keys have not worn badly or gone yellow. Externally this piano was well preserved.
The tenor section of the bridge had lifted off the soundboard. In such instances it is usually advisable to soak out the soundboard to make a thorough repair. [Note the presence here of original strings ― often a good indicator of an untouched instrument.]
Removal of the soundboard permits the restorer to examine the wrestplank for distortion. The glued joints in this critical part of the case structure can be secured if necessary. The structure shown here is typical for this type of square piano.
The underside of the soundboard. Here a prudent restorer examines for any loose glue joints. A rib that is not firmly fastened will produce unpleasant buzzing and false notes. The use of small wooden buttons through which the bridge is screwed down on to the soundboard is a standard feature. However, this ribbing pattern is not so typical, particularly in the use of a rib crossing under the bass extremity of the bridge [top right here].
Here we see typical damage to the fretwork triangle behind the wrestplank. This delicate design, cut from a thin panel of limewood, was originally backed with green silk, now very discoloured and torn. Some parts of the fretwork had fallen inside, others were lost. However, the whole panel is not difficult to remove, the silk is then eased off with water, so the panel can be repaired. In this example a new piece of green Chinese silk was fitted after repairs. It is probable that the original was woven in Spitalfields, a district settled by emigrant Huguenot families who specialised in this trade. A page showing action repairs is planned for future editions of this site.
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