The Arts & Crafts Movement in America was most popular from about the 1900 - 1915 period, and had all but disappeared before 1920. Although the Arts & Crafts Movement was a relatively short-lived design era, hundreds of thousands of homes were built and furnished in the hugely popular Craftsman/Mission style. Today, there is a huge Renaissance in the Arts & Crafts Movement. Original Craftsman style homes are being renovated, new Craftsman style homes are being built, and most major furniture lines are manufacturing and selling furnishings in the Craftsman style to reflect the Mission/Arts & Crafts period.
Because the Arts & Crafts movement was such an extreme change from traditional period styles, piano manufactures were very slow to adapt. Very few manufacturers went to the time and expense of adding Craftsman style pianos to their line. By the time these few makers added Craftsman design pianos to their product line, the Arts & Crafts movement seemed to fade away almost as quickly as it came. As a result, Craftsman style pianos are exceedingly rare today.
This piano was built by the famous Kohler & Campbell Piano Company in 1906, and is made of richly figured quarter sawn oak wood. This is only the second Craftsman style piano by Kohler & Campbell we have seen over the years, and is likely one of only a handful ever built. It has the classic mortise & tenon design with a bit of a Gothic influence. This piano will be stunning after total restoration. It can be equipped with computerized player mechanisms if desired, and a matching bench is included.
Note: As founder of The Antique Piano Shop, I have personally collected Mission / Arts & Crafts style pianos for over 25 years. I have a great passion for anything Mission / Arts & Crafts, including Craftsman homes, furniture, and accessories. If you are a true Arts & Crafts enthusiast, you will appreciate how impossible it is to find true Arts & Crafts / Mission style pianos in today’s market. Nearly three decades of collecting and preserving these “impossible to find” instruments has allowed me the opportunity to present the largest collection of true Mission / Arts & Crafts style instruments anywhere in the world.
We are proud to offer the serious enthusiast the option of adding an authentic period instrument for their Craftsman home.
- Michael Stinnett, Founder, The Antique Piano Shop, Inc.