Finchcocks – The tradition of music making continues
The closure of the Finchcocks Musical Museum, Goudhurst, Kent, England was reported on this website in November 2015. This came with much disappointment to people who visited the house and enjoyed music played on early Keyboard instruments. It is…
Carolina Music Museum
In the rather disappointing outlook for early keyboard instrument museums in the UK it is good to know that in the United States there will be a new museum. The Carolina Music Museum, Grenville, South Carolina will be opened in…
Royal piano made in 1790 sold for £13,500
It is not every day that a piano made for a king’s daughter comes onto the market but a square piano made in 1790 for Maria Luisa Borbon infanta of Spain was sold by Alcalá Subastas auctioneers in Madrid for…
Historically Important keyboard instruments are sent to auction
The most comprehensive collection of early keyboard instruments in the UK is not well-known and although open to the public, it can only be viewed by appointment. The Colt Clavier Collection in Bethersden, Kent was brought together by Cecil Colt…
Sale of early keyboard cloths
A new damper cloth is available from 15 February 2016 that is even closer in composition to the original used in early 19th century pianos than our previous cloth. It is made from a finer yarn but uses a courser wool. The…
New book on an 1804 Broadwood Square Piano
In Mrs Findlay’s Broadwood Square Piano, author Michael Hannon traces the extraordinary history of his 1804 instrument, originally bought by Mrs Dorothy Findlay, widow of a wealthy Glasgow tobacco merchant. In 1977 it re-appeared at an Irish auction where the…
Finchcocks Musical Museum to close at the end of December
News: 29 November 2015 It is with sadness to hear that the Finchcocks Musical Museum at Goadhurst in Kent is to close at the end of December. Since the early 1970’s the owners, Richard and Katrina Burnett, have opened their…
An important collection of keyboard keyboard instruments to be sold at auction
The collection of early keyboard instruments of the late Christopher Hogwood will be sold at auction on 12th March 2015 by Gardiner Houlgate, Bath Auction Rooms, Corsham near Bath, England. This important collection of 26 instruments is expected to generate…
Historically important square piano sold at auction
A rare and historically important square piano was sold at Sarl Vichy Auctions in France on 24th May 2014. This square piano Is was of small size with reverse keyboard having a compass of AA to f3 and using a…