ABOUT THIS PIANO: This is an exceedingly rare “Art-Apollo” player grand piano. This piano was built in 1913, a time when the player grand piano was still in its infancy and undergoing a substantial period of evolution. The piano is a pneumatically operated player piano and uses a perforated paper roll, but it does use a very early(original)electric motor to drive the vacuum pumps. While the piano itself was straightforward, the player mechanisms were unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. None of our colleagues have ever seen this exact model and we were unable to locate another one like it to use for comparison in our restoration process. This project presented quite a challenge to restore!
This piano is made of imported Honduran Mahogany wood and is of the Traditional spade-leg style. Note how the original finish has chemically broken down and turned scaly and almost black over the years in the “before restoration” photo examples; this tends to happen with most early 20thCentury mahogany finishes on American-made pianos. Most of our customers are shocked to learn that their antique mahogany pianos were originally finished to look beautiful and rich like the“after restoration” photo and video examples here will show!
Piano Restoration Process:
Assessment & Disassembly
Parts are carefully disassembled and documented so that they can be put back where they belong during the restoration process.
Piano Restoration Process:
Cabinet Repair & Refinishing
The old, deteriorated mahogany finish has turned so dark and rough that it appears to be burned or charred; this is how the old finishes turn over many years of chemical breakdown. The piano was never meant to look so dark and ugly! Once restored, the beautiful imported Honduran Mahogany wood really shows after being hidden under the old finish for so many years.
Piano Restoration Process:
Soundboard Repair & Re-Stringing
The old rusty strings are removed and the soundboard and bridges are restored. The piano is fitted with a new custom-made pin block to ensure long-term tuning stability. The harp and soundboard are refinished to look new, and the new strings make the piano sound like it did when it was first built.
Piano Restoration Process:
Action & Keyboard Restoration
The original ivory keys are yellow and worn, but restorable. The felts, leather, etc. in the action are moth-eaten and badly damaged, so new action parts and hammers are installed in the piano. The ivory keys are carefully cleaned, bleached and polished to look brand new once again!
Photos of Piano
After Complete Restoration
After professional restoration, the piano looks and plays like it did when it was originally built in 1913!
