Square pianos are an important part of musical history. They were used by the great pianists of the 18th and 19th centuries as well as the average citizen.
In the late 1800s, Square Grands increased in length, from an average of 6′ during the 1830s to 1850s to about 7′ in 1870. The depth also increased up to approximately 40 inches. More notes were added, bringing them up to 85 notes, heavier wire was used, increasing the power, and the cases became more heavily carved and sometimes scalloped, as Victorian furniture dominated the later nineteenth century, particularly in America.
The Chickering is another brand of square piano. It was among the most expensive, most solidly built and most powerful of any square piano ever built. It has a bright treble and deep powerful bass tone.
This piano has 3 strings per note across the treble, whereas the earlier square pianos generally only had two strings per unison and often delivered less power. These Square Grand pianos could compete with a lot of grand pianos during its day. The large size of the later square pianos did not accommodate modest homes and piano tuners complained bitterly about bending over the piano to tune them since the tuning pins are located in the back of the piano which led to their decrease in popularity.
We believe that this Square Grand Piano has Brazilian Rosewood Veneer cabinetry.
