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Frederick BECK Among the earliest followers of Zumpe, making an almost identical product, Beck was selling square pianos from his premises on the north side of Broad Street, Carnaby Market, from 1772 until about 1792. His place and date of birth are as yet unknown, but there is inferential evidence that he was born in a German-speaking area because with Gabriel Buntebart he was selected for a jury at the Old Bailey which was composed of six 'German' and six English members. Beck is often remembered for two extremely ornate square pianos incorporated in exquisitely inlaid cabinets, believed to be the work of Chistopher Fuhrlohg, the Swedish-born marquetry specialist. One of these is shown in Philip James' Early Keyboard Instruments, Plate LVIII. His more typical work is shown here. Many examples of Beck's work replicate Zumpe's designs very closely except for having dampers only to c3. The soundboards sometimes are signed near the bridge A. F. Beck
Beck 1787
Beck 1775
Chrisopher GANER Born in Leipzig about
1735 Chrisopher Ganer occupied premises on the south side of Broad Street,
Soho, from the winter of 1774/5 until about 1805. He made large
numbers of good quality square pianos and some grand pianos. Though none of
the latter have been shown to survive a 'grand pianoforte by Ganer' was
offered for sale in India in 1795. Ganer applied for and was granted British
citizenship in 1792. Many of his pianos show a penchant for pretty inlaid
designs and fashionable use of exotic timbers. An outstanding example, dated
1779, with satinwood borders and matching 'French-frame' stand is shown in
Colt & Mayall The Early Piano, page 21. The oldest surviving Ganer piano
is probably the one shown below, dated 1775. Most Ganer pianos are more conventional, but a significant number are very handsomely inlaid.
Johannes POHLMAN Perhaps the earliest copier of Zumpe, 'John Pohlman' is shown in the Rate Books for St Anne's parish from 1767 until 1776, at the southern end of Frith Street, in the house next but one to Compton Street. For some reason this address does not appear on his early period pianos, but when he moved to a newly built house in Great Russell Street, half a mile to the north east, he began to add this address in a subscript. This is useful in dating instruments by Pohlman ― if there is no date inscribed on the front, and/or it has the second address it probably dates from 1778 or later. Though not among the best for quality of workmanship their tone was praised by Charles Burney (in 1774). He bought several examples for himself or his pupils. There are some novelties among surviving examples including ultra compact instruments (usually of less than 5 octaves) in which the bass strings are exposed in the corner at the treble end of the keywell ― an example is in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, and another with elaborate gilt decoration, dated 1772, was formerly owned by Lady Ionides. Pohlman is generally presumed to be a German-born immigrant to England, but his place of birth is not known. He died in London in December 1792, after which his wife continued in residence at their Great Russell Street house for a few further years. There were no children. N.B. It should be noted that there is no connection between John Pohlman of London, who always wrote his name with one n, and the piano makers Pohlmann & Son of Halifax, Yorkshire, active from 1823 onwards, though claims have been made for such a connection, by descendants of this later firm. Their mistaken claim has been unfortunately believed by many people resulting in false reports in some quite recently published books. George GARCKA
Presumed to be a Prussian
immigrant from Schimmerwitz (now Siemirowice in Poland, about 40 km west of
Danzig) where the name Garcka was formerly prevalent, George Garcka
was resident at 16 Stephen Street, Rathbone Place, just off Tottenham Court
Road from about 1783 to 1791. He made many square pianos, of entirely
conventional design.
William SOUTHWELL Perhaps the most innovative and interesting maker from the later eighteenth century, William Southwell was active in Dublin from the early 1780s working from what appears to be the next house to the former premises of Ferdinand Weber in Marlborough Street, after a brief period at another Dublin address. At least two square pianos by him are of the standard five octaves, but he is chiefly remembered today as the inventor of a new system for extending the square piano keyboard upwards to c4 without the clumsy bridge and soundboard expedients that so marred the work of others. The National Trust [England] now owns an early specimen, which formerly belonged to Mrs Uhlman of Croft Castle, inscribed very clearly SOUTHWELL FECIT 1784. Other noteworthy features of this (and several similar examples) include the distinctive Irish pattern of five inlaid panels at the front; silk-backed fretwork openings in the nameboard; innovative wire-operated dampers; and a knee-operated harp- or buff stop. After moving to London in 1793/4 he obtained a royal patent for these innovations, for which James Longman offered him a lucrative deal, but Southwell profited very little from this owing to Longman's subsequent bankruptcy, and some duplicitous treatment from John Broadwood's lawyers. Thanks to the excellent researches of Dr Margaret Debenham it is sure that Southwell remained in London until his death in 1825 — correcting former statements (including mine!) that he returned to Ireland and died there in 1844. This useful information and much valuable new material is to be published in the near future in a joint publication with Prof. George Bozarth. Prior to his patented 'Irish dampers' Southwell is now known to have used the brass over dampers in square pianos as well as his well-known demi-lune pianos from the 1780s. [Further information to follow when available.] James BALL
James Ball's application for British citizenship in 1790 reveals that he was born in Germany. It is not clear when he settled in London. His earliest known pianos date from the mid seventeen eighties. In 1790 he was granted a patent for several 'improvements' of both square and grand pianos. His unique action for square pianos had something similar to Zumpe's action combined with a rather flimsy under damper operated by a secondary 2-armed lever. He also designed an ingenious music desk, sliding in and out above the nameboard of his patent square piano, very much like a grand desk, but with the front veneered and inlaid so that it appeared to be part of the nameboard when closed. His patent piano is shown above. Most of Ball's surviving instruments are square pianos of standard design. A very pretty specimen dated 1788 is in private ownership in Malvern, Worcs. His usual inscription reads: Jacobus Ball Londini fecit, Duke Street, Grosvenor Square, sometimes with the date, sometimes without. BRODERIP & WILKINSON
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A
notable feature of this piano is the provision of a pedal-operated buff stop
in addition to the customary two hand stops to raise the dampers. External
appearance is very similar to the Beck piano above, made in the same year.
However, in
December 1787 he was declared bankrupt, but seems to have somehow satisfied his
creditors and continued in business. Undeterred by such problems, in 1792 he
applied for and was granted a patent for a square piano in which the wrestplank was positioned just behind the nameboard with the strings running
diagonally to the right. This is undoubtedly of benefit as regards tuning
stability, and is more convenient and comfortable when tuning. The
disadvantages concern ease of maintenance, and an awkward, bulky appearance,
wholly at variance with eighteenth-century ideas of elegance.
Very few of these patent pianos survive. In the same year, 1792, Garcka moved from Stephen Street
to new premises at the corner of Edward Street and Wardour Street in Soho.
His financial position did not improve, so in January 1793 he disposed of his
business to Bates & Co., who sold general musical wares including square
pianos. Later Houston & Co. occupied the same location. George Garcka had numerous children of whom the eldest George and
Henry became brush makers, and the youngest, William, born 1795 went into
the brewing / publican trade near Godmanchester, writing
his surname as Garka, without the c. The date and place of George Garcka's
death is not known. The piano shown here is
inscribed: Georgius Garcka Londini fecit / 16 Stephen Street, Rathbone
Place 1788.
Effectively
a part of the break up of Longman & Broderip's business, this firm operated from
13 Haymarket from 1802/3 and was afterwards continued by Wilkinson in
partnerships with various people. Broderip & Wilkinson's square pianos are
very similar to those of Clementi & Company but less elaborated adorned with
paintings, transfers and the like. They are less durable than Clementi's,
made from less scrupulously selected timbers.
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John GEIB
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| *Tom Strange's research on Geib has now been published [citation to follow] |
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Born
1744 in western Germany Geib settled in London about 1770. His earliest
known work is a square piano of 1777 which was offered for sale at Piano
Auctions Ltd. [Photo right]. The scarcity of signed instruments after this
date suggests that Geib was mostly working anonymously producing instruments
for others to sell. In 1779 he married in London, and in 1792 applied
for British citizenship. Geib's signature has been recently
photographed by Tom Strange under the soundboard of a Longman & Broderip
piano, with the date 1785.* His chief claim to remembrance is his patent
of 1786, for an escapement action based quite closely on the work of Henri Silbermann of Strassbourg which became a very desirable refinement of
Longman & Broderip's square pianos [see webpage for L&B]. After the breakup
of Longman & Broderip's business John Geib moved to New York, where the
business was continued by his sons, John and Adam, joined later by other
members of the family.