Square piano

Christian Friedrich Theodor Steinweg (1825-1889)
Braunschweig
ca. 1860
Städtisches Museum Braunschweig, inv. no. 0012-0117-00
Donated by Grotrian-Steinweg 1985

The square piano made by Christian Friedrich Theodor Steinweg (1825-1889) in Braunschweig is in urgent need of restoration. Before starting work, an important decision has to be made: Should the instrument be made playable again or not? The answer depends on many interdependent factors. If a future practical use of the object can only be achieved through the loss of original building fabric, it is sometimes advisable to abandon the project. 

The body of the square piano has a rosewood veneer. The lettering “Steinway & Sons / New York / Braunschweig” on the cast-iron hanger plate is a direct reference to the close links between the workshops in the Old and New Worlds.