I'm not sure who put it together, but I wish whoever it was would join us here :). I intend to make it a two-way street at some point, with data and jpgs posted on a website, and some data downloadable.īut while flawed, at this point the most info on Chickering at a website that I know of is the site you referred to, Larry. I am seriously trying to build a large database on Chickering, and have the number book jpgs in my computer through 1920 or so (all but a very strange period around 1900 when all the entries were one piano per page - and that's worth a journal article in itself.). I have started a page on Chickering studies with an email link to receive Chickering photos and data. This is clear in the serial number books, and probably (don't remember, and can't look it up right now) in the catalogs. Steinway took up this practice too in their catalogs.

But to make your point still, Chickering was, from early on, referring to their highest-end vertical as a 'Cabinet Grand,' while referring to all other uprights as uprights or verticals. Larry, did I understand you to refer to the quartergrand as a vertical, or were you using the language only anagalously? Of course, the Quartergrand was a three-legged grand. Unlike the 121, it also has several wound tenor strings. I have a very nice 121 in the store which we've restrung, saving the original soundboard and plate finishes, and maintain a 122 (the no-cheekblocks Quartergrand), which has slots cut into the music desk for the nosebolts, too. So far have been deterred by weather, schedule and pocketbook, but will soon.don't know if that will shed any light on the basis for the Quartergrand name. I hope to spend some serious time in the Strong Museum in Rochester NY which has the Aeolian archives, including Chickering pre-Aeolian (except the serial number books). I'm in early stages of a Chickering history study and very interested in this discussion.įred, what you've said is very interesting.

Chickering piano history