Introduction
This Directory gives useful information about piano makers, merchants, and people in allied trades who were involved in piano manufacturing and marketing in London between 1760 and 1800. The maker’s name given on the piano nameboard during this period was not always that of the actual maker and many instruments gave the name of the retail merchant. During the latter part of the 18th century the popularity of the piano grew rapidly and this gave significant business opportunities for those who could take advantage. Varied business arrangements formed between piano makers, musical supply warehouses and people in allied trades whereby the name given on the nameboard was not of the actual maker. Often it is possible to identify the actual maker by the design characteristics of the instrument.
There are three levels of information. The top level gives a list of names in alphabetical order. From each name, there is a drop-down table of standard data (including birth and death dates, business activity, business names and addresses together with associated dates). Where the piano maker’s or merchant’s business continued into the 19th century this information is also given but shown in italics. More detailed information is available for some makers and merchants from a link in the table. (This may include biographical, business management, piano design or details of surviving instruments).
The scope of this directory is to include information about the people whose name has been given on the nameboard of pianos made in London during this period but it also includes the name of others who played an important role in the piano industry.
Any comments or additional information is welcome.
George? CORRIE
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Beck & Corrie 1790, also possibly under his own name. James (1930) gives date as 1794.
Business Address: 10 Broad Street as Beck & Corrie and 41 Broad Street under his own name
Thomas CULLIFORD
Biography
(1750-c1800)
Business activity: Harpsichord and piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Culliford & Co. 1785, Longman & Broderip (Contract with), Culliford, Rolfe & Barrow c1795-c1797, Thomas Culliford 1799
Business Address: 112 Cheapside and 72 The Stand
Joseph DALE
Biography
Business activity: Music seller and publisher, musical instrument maker & merchant (probably not a piano maker)
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Joseph Dale 1792-1805, Joseph Dale & Son 1805-1809
Business Address: 19 Cornhill 1792-1809
Comments: Supplied square pianos under his own name made by Christopher Ganer
David DAVIS
Biography
Business activity: Merchant or financier
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Longman, Clementi & Co. (John Longman, Muzio Clementi, Frederick Augustus Hyde, Frederick William Collard, Josiah Banger and David Davis) 1798-1800, Muzio Clementi & Co. (Muzio Clementi, Josiah Banger, Frederick Augustus Hyde, Frederick William Collard and David Davis) 1800-1810, (Muzio Clementi, Josiah Banger, Frederick William Collard, David Davis and William Frederick Collard) 1811-1817, (Muzio Clementi, Frederick William Collard, David Davis and William Frederick Collard 1817-1823,
Business Address: 26 Cheapside and 195 Tottenham Court Road
Samuel DAVIS
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Rolfe & Davis 1797
Business Address: 112 cheapside
Joshua DONE
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Joshua Done 1792-1814
Business Address: 30 chancery Lane 1792-1814, 24 Great James Street 1793
George FREOSCHLE
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: George Froeschle 1788-1800
Business Address: 21 Mark Lane
Christopher GANER
Biography
(c1750-c1818)
Business activity: Piano maker (small and grand pianofortes) inlayer, music publisher and seller and possibly a harp maker during the mid-1780’s
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Christopher Ganer 1774-1807
Business Address: Initially at 22 Broad Street moving to 47 and 48 Broad Street
Comments: Present accounts state that he died in 1811 but there is evidence that he died after 1818.
More information about Christopher Ganer
Thomas GARBUTT
Biography
Business activituy: Harpsichord and Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Thomas Garbutt 1769-1777 business continued by J. Garbutt (son?)
Business Address: King Street, Golden Square and 8 Bolsover Square in 1793
George GARCKA
Biography
(c1750- )
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: George Garcka 1778-1793
Business Address: Greek Street West 1778, Stephen Street, Rathbone Place 1783, Corner of Edward Street. and Wardour Street 1790
Comments: Garcka became bunkrupt in 1787 but continued trading. The Business was acquired by Bates (Bates & Co) in 1793
John Lawrence GEIB
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: John Geib 1777-1797, Longman & Broderip (contracted to) c1786-c1796
Business Address:
Tottenham Court Road 1786-1792, Southampton Row 1792-1797
Comments: In 1797, Geib continued his business in New York
William, GLOVER
Biography
Business activity: It is not known whether he was a piano maker or merchant
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: William Glover 1777
Business Address: Unknown
Comments: A surviving square piano inscribed “Guilelmus Glover, Londini, Fecit, 1777” sold at Piano Auctions Ltd, Holborn, London in September 2014.
John Crang HANCOCK
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Crang Hancock 1771-1792
Business Address: 82 Wynch Street 1774, St. Clement Danes 1779-1789, Dean Street 1789, 32 Parliament Street, Westminster 1791
Comments
Henry HOLLAND
Biography
Business activity: Piano and organ maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Henry Holland 1783-1798
Business Address: Bedford Row
James Henry HOUSTON
Biography
Business Activity: Spinet, harpsichord and piano maker
Trading as, contracted to or employed by: Houston & Co. 1790-1799
Business Address: Corner of Edward Street and 95 Wardour Street
Comments: Supplied square pianos to John Bland for resale as well as selling under his own name. Occuopied the same address as George Garcka, Thomas Tomkison and Bates & Co.
Peter JADERBLOM
Biography
Business activity: Harpsichord and piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Peter jaderblom 1771
Business Address –(unknown)
Comments: A surviving square piano inscribed “Pertrus Jaderblom Londini Fecit 1771” was sold at auction by Bellmans, Billinghurst, Sussex in 2016. This is probably the same instrument referred to by Harding in “The Painoforte” 1933, Appendix G.
Abraham KIRKMAN
Biography
Birth date –
Death date –
Business activity –
Trading as, employed by or contracted to –
Business Address –
Comments
Joseph KIRKMAN
Biography
Birth date –
Death date –
Business activity –
Trading as, employed by or contracted to –
Business Address –
Comments
Ludwig LENKFELD
Biography
Business activity: Piano maker
Trading as, employed by or contracted to: Partner with John Geib 1790-1796
Business address: Tottenham Court Road 1790-1796
Augustus LEUKFIELD
Biography
Business Activity: Piano maker
Trading as, emplyoyed by or contractyed to: Augustus Leukfield 1790-1811
Business Address: 27 Tottenham Street, Fitzroy Square