Grand Piano
ca. 1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This grand piano was built in about 1870 by the leading English firm of Robert Wornum & Son for Sir Henry Cole (1808 - 1882), the first director of the South Kensington (now Victoria & Albert) Museum. James Gamble (1837 - 1911), who was responsible for much of the decoration of the museum between 1866 and 1889, designed the case of this piano, and his motifs include early musical instruments that had been acquired for the Museum under Cole's directorship. This instrument was exhibited at the International Exhibition held in London in 1871.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Painted pine case, with carved legs |
| Brief description | Grand piano, English, ca. 1870, made by Robert Warnum & Son, decorated by James Gamble |
| Physical description | Grand piano in a pine case decorated with painted designs consisting of a panel showing Apollo with his lyre, another panel of a swan, and along the sides of the case a series of musical instruments. The design inside the lid includes the words 'Deux Cole Regem Serva', and the initials 'H.C.' (Henry Cole) and 'M.F.C.' (Marian Fairman Cole) are carved into the music desk. Compass: AAA to a4, 85 notes. Action: Downstriking. There are una corda and forte pedals. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Copy number | 12556 (serial number) |
| Marks and inscriptions | Robert Wornum & Sons, London (1) Decoration 2) Signature) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Adam Cole, a son of Sir Henry Cole |
| Object history | Put forward for de-accessioning and Board of Survey assessment in June 1938 (Registered File 38/2502, on Policy File VA200-1, Board of Survey, Furniture and Woodwork 1935-39. At the time, such a piece would have been severely out of fashion but it was decided to retain it. |
| Production | Attribution note: The piano itself was mass-produced but the decoration is unique to this particular instrument. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This grand piano was built in about 1870 by the leading English firm of Robert Wornum & Son for Sir Henry Cole (1808 - 1882), the first director of the South Kensington (now Victoria & Albert) Museum. James Gamble (1837 - 1911), who was responsible for much of the decoration of the museum between 1866 and 1889, designed the case of this piano, and his motifs include early musical instruments that had been acquired for the Museum under Cole's directorship. This instrument was exhibited at the International Exhibition held in London in 1871. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.11:1, 2-1913 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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