Mahogany cased square piano has curly maple? frontispiece/nameboard painted with an oval cartouche with"John Wind / Lancaster" flanked by colorful floral sprays (likely painted by Eichholtz). Crossbanded mahogany veneer, front and sides and a diamond shaped ivory lock escutcheon centered at front of folding keyboad lid. Square tapered legs terminate with brass cuffs and casters. One high stretcher at both ends. Exposed head bolts at sides. Entire top hinges up exposing soundboard with strings and hammers.
Black keys are ebonized maple topped with ebony veneer. Ivory covered white keys. Dummy key at left end.
Inscription: Pencilled script on reverse of nameboard unclear (need UV light to read).
Made by John Wind (1783-1858). Owned by Aida Shaibly Myers, Lancaster, PA, 1812.
Provenance
Donor: Aida M. Houston (estate). Info derived from archives and donor cards. Note: 2015 research found probable identity & family members of Aida, in file.
Over-cleaned finish. Overall in better shape than other known Winds, per Ray Brunner. Soundboard is twisted in length due to string tension with some replaced strings. Many fine strings unattached & snarled at right interior. Dummy key at left end of keyboard. Bolt covers at leg tops missing. Scratch across front. NOTE: Hinge at left side of top board missing its pin; inserted nail.
Object ID
1964.016
Notes
In Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania's Daybook of J. Eichholtz on page 30 is an entry dated March 1, 1810 for John Wind: "To painting frontispiece" with a charge of 15. This is presumably for this, or another, piano.
An identical entry on page 20 for organmaker Conrad Doll dated May 19, 1809 lists "To painting a frontispiece" for the same charge of 15. (Copies of these pages in file P.86.3 for Eichholtz copper measure).
