Sic transit.... looking backwards and forwards

[John Delacour]

At 11:45 pm +0100 2/4/07, David Boyce wrote:

>...In the afternoon I tuned an old Erard grand, No. 81076 (c1901). 
>It's of very backward-looking, but pretty, French design. A bronze 
>(or brass?) capo d'astro bar with blued steel screws, in style of an 
>old English pocket watch.  Straight strung, with bronze covered 
>strings. Plate not an integral casting but with bars and bolts.  A 
>quite  idiosyncratic action, and underdampers.
>
>I was musing over the contrast with the S&S B that I tune in the 
>local theatre, No. 82076.  This is actually a few years older than 
>the Erard, but to all intents and purposes a completely modern piano.

David, I think you'll find the Erard is far older than that.  There 
are two lots of serial numbers, one for the Paris factory and one for 
the London. Michel's/Pierce's "Atlas" is hopelessly inaccurate as 
regards Erard.  At a guess the piano is probably from 1850-55 but I 
know a colleague who could date it accurately if you should need it.

JD