1874 Decker Brothers square piano, a high quality instrument.

Decker Bros. Square Piano

Date: Ca. 1874

Serial #: 9488

Keyboard compass: 88 notes 7 1/3 octaves

Keyboard covering: Original ivory in excellent condition; ebony sharps.

Cabinet: Rosewood case with cabriole legs. Body of case is fairly plain compared to most square pianos of this period. Music rack is a little more of a "lattice" design. Carved pedal lyre. To be refinished.

Dimensions: 83 ½" x 41", 38" from top of case to floor.

Action: Typical late square action and dampers. A very good scale and the most unusual design is in the bass; the strings go under the plate at the tuning pin end with the tuning pin sticking up through a hole. I believe this was done to get the string coil closer to the pinblock and to get more of the tuning pin actually in the pinblock. Very good scaling ahead of its day.

A very good restorable instrument. Through the years some builders built fine instruments but never got much credit or recognition; Decker was one of these. This is a very high quality piano internally and is second only to maybe a Mathushek of this same period. It is the equivalent of a Steinway or Chickering of this era.