{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O58874"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58874/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O58874","accessionNumber":"W.5-1952","objectType":"Grand piano","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"In 1792 William Stodart (fl. 1792-1838)  took over the piano-making firm that his father Robert (1748-1813) had founded in 1775. The Stodarts supplied the Royal family with pianos, as the inscription on the nameboard states, and William's father taught music to the daughters of George III.  This undated piano was almost certainly made before 1820, the year in which William Stodart's employees William Allen and James Thom invented tubular metal bracing.  This device, designed to keep the piano's tuning stable in fluctuating temperatures, is not used on the present piano.","physicalDescription":"Grand piano, with a range of seventy-three notes, CC - C4. Its case is oak, veneered with mahogany, cross-banded with rosewood and decorated with brass stringing. Fluted legs of solid mahogany, surmounted with brass collars.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Stodart, William","id":"A23572"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mahogany","id":"AAT12221"},{"text":"rosewood","id":"AAT12424"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"}],"techniques":[{"text":"stringing","id":"x37524"},{"text":"veneering","id":"AAT53878"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oak case with mahogany veneer, rosewood cross-banding and brass stringing; Brass collars on the tops of solid mahogany legs; Ivory covered naturals and ebony sharps","categories":[{"text":"Musical instruments","id":"THES48919"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES383913"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Grand piano","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1815 - 1820","earliest":"1815-01-01","latest":"1820-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Miss R.M. Scott","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"227.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"114.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"29.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Height of piano without its legs","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"90.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Height of piano with its legs.","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measurements taken from Howard Schott: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part I: Keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), pp. 119-120.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"William Stodart / Maker to their Majesties and Royal Family / Golden Square, London","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink on the nameboard of the piano."}],"objectHistory":"This instrument was given to the Museum in 1952 by Miss R.M. Scott. It was lent to the National Trust at Hanbury Hall, Worcestershire, from 1976 to 1994 (see Nominal File MA/1/N1064).","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"English grand piano, 1815-25, oak with mahogany and rosewood veneers and brass stringing, William Stodart, 1815 - 1820.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Howard Schott: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part I: Keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), pp. 119-120."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"GRAND PIANO, William Stodart, London, about 1815-1820.\r\nInscribed William Stodart/Maker to their Majesties and Royal Family/Golden Square London. The instrument has a range of six octaves, CC-c4. The case is veneered in mahogany, with brass inlay and rosewood cross-banding.\r\n\r\nMuseum No. W.5-1952\r\nKeyboard Catalogue No. 46\r\n\r\nWilliam Stodart became a partner of his father's firm in the 1790s. The firm became William Stodart & Son in about 1825 and ended trading following the death of his son Malcolm in 1861. The decoration is characteristic of English furniture between about 1810 and 1820. \r\n\r\nGiven by Miss R. M. Scott.","date":{"text":"pre September 2000","earliest":null,"latest":"2000-08-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.5-1952"],"accessionNumberNum":"5","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1952,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-16","availableToBook":false}}