Unusual Pianos Photos

During the evolution of piano design, several unusual concepts were tried and now appear only in museums. Other pianos are unusual in their decoration.

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Piano with 78 keys made in Austria at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Giraffe piano by Joseph Anton Knam of Vienna at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Kuhn "Giraffe" piano by Kuhn Piano Co. earliest upright or vertical piano in America at Sag Harbor Whaling Museum. Sag Harbor, NY.Piano harp in library at Hammond Castle Museum. Gloucester, MA.
Piano with 78 keys made in Austria at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Giraffe piano (c1839) by Joseph Anton Knam of Vienna at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Kuhn "Giraffe" piano (1860-80) by Kuhn Piano Co. (Baltimore, MD) earliest upright or vertical piano in America at Sag Harbor Whaling Museum. Sag Harbor, NY.Piano harp in library at Hammond Castle Museum. Gloucester, MA.
Pyramid piano by Wachtl & Bleyer of Vienna at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Lyre piano by Benedictus Schleip of Berlin at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Upright piano with unusual height & shape from Germany at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Manxman Pianoforte by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott of England at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL.
Pyramid piano (c1810) by Wachtl & Bleyer of Vienna at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Lyre piano (c1860) by Benedictus Schleip of Berlin at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Upright piano with unusual height & shape (c1750-70) from Germany at Deutsches Museum. Munich, Germany.Manxman Pianoforte (1897) by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott of England at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL.
Upright piano carved by François-Rupert Carabin for Henri Hertz manufacturer at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.End detail of upright piano carved by François-Rupert Carabin for Henri Hertz manufacturer at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.Cycloid piano by Lindeman & Sons of New York at Vaile Mansion. Independence, MO.Piano case made of tree roots by Antonio Meucci at his house, now Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. Staten Island, NY.
Upright piano (1900) carved by François-Rupert Carabin for Henri Hertz manufacturer (shown Paris Expo 1900) at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.End detail of upright piano (1900) carved by François-Rupert Carabin for Henri Hertz manufacturer (shown Paris Expo 1900) at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.Cycloid piano by Lindeman & Sons of New York at Vaile Mansion. Independence, MO.Piano case made of tree roots by Antonio Meucci at his house, now Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. Staten Island, NY.
French Empire mahogany ormolu-mounted inlaid piano by Beckers in Music Room at The Breakers. Newport, RI.Willowwood piano painted by Phoebe Anna Traquair on Steinway case designed by Robert Lorimer at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Piano commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt by Steinway & Sons with case by R.H. Hunt & J.H. Hunt plus lid painting by Thomas Wilmer Dewing at Smithsonian American Art Museum. Washington, DC.
French Empire mahogany ormolu-mounted inlaid piano (c1820) by Beckers in Music Room at The Breakers. Newport, RI.Willowwood piano (1910) painted by Phoebe Anna Traquair on Steinway case designed by Robert Lorimer at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Piano commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt (1903) by Steinway & Sons with case by R.H. Hunt & J.H. Hunt plus lid painting by Thomas Wilmer Dewing at Smithsonian American Art Museum. Washington, DC.

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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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