{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78955"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78955/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7456/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7456/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM7456","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM7458","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PH9465","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78955","accessionNumber":"W.15:1, 2-1976","objectType":"Manxman piano","titles":[{"title":"Manxman ","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>It was not until the 1890s that design reformers attempted a radical re-styling of the upright, or cottage, piano - a common piece of 19th-century domestic furniture. Despite manufacturers' carved embellishments, pianos were generally perceived as ungainly and over-complicated designs. M.H. Baillie Scott's innovation was to enclose the keyboard, music stand and candleholders behind broad doors that rationalised the shape of the instrument.<br><br><b>Trading</b><br>Critical praise of the Manxman piano did not translate into large sales for its London manufacturer, Broadwood & Sons, Great Pulteney Street, Soho, who only made an estimated 40 examples. This piano failed to sell until 1910 when it was bought at a discount by the piano dealer J.C. Shirwin & Sons of Hanley, Staffordshire. The designer, C.R. Ashbee, designed a very similar piano for Broadwood in about 1900.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>The piano's form most closely resembles a Spanish 17th-century chest on a stand, or <i>vargueno</i>.  In 1901 the <i>Architectural Review</i> suggested that it was inspired by 'an old strong box of the Elizabethan period'.  Both forms were inspiration to Arts and Crafts designers of the late 19th century.","physicalDescription":"Upright Manxman piano in ebonised mahogany cabinet, with carved wood, pewter and mother-of-pearl decoration, marquetry of stained wood, and silver-plated handles and hinges","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Baillie Scott, Mackay Hugh","id":"A8110"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Broadwood, John","id":"A8182"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mahogany","id":"AAT12221"},{"text":"pewter","id":"AAT10979"},{"text":"mother of pearl","id":"AAT11835"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"marquetry","id":"AAT53853"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Musical instruments","id":"THES48919"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AM7456","2006AM7458","2025PH9465"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"125G (VA)","id":"THES49212"},"free":"","case":"PL5","shelf":"","box":"17"},{"current":{"text":"020","id":"THES302823"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Piano","id":""}],[{"text":"key","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1896","earliest":"1891-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"ca. 1902-1903","earliest":"1897-01-01","latest":"1906-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"116.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"closed","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"136","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"closed","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"62.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"closed","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 17/06/1999 by Sorrel","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Designed  by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (born in Ramsgate, Kent, 1865, died in Brighton, East Sussex, 1945); piano made by John Broadwood and Sons Ltd., London\nCase possibly made by Broadwoods; or the Guild of Handicraft, London; or the Pyghtle Works, Bedford\r\n\r\nObject sampling carried out by Jo Darrah, V&A Science; drawer/slide reference 6/45.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Manxman piano by M. H. Baillie Scott in ebonised mahogany, with carved wood, marquetry, pewter and mother-of-pearl.  Great Britain, ca. 1896.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Livingstone, Karen & Parry, Linda (eds.), <i>International Arts and Crafts</i>, London : V&A Publications, 2005","id":"AUTH357959"},"details":"p.22","free":""}],"production":"Case possibly made by Broadwoods; or the Guild of Handicraft, London; or the Pyghtle Works, Bedford","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nM.H. Baillie Scott was an influential architect and designer of the late Arts and Crafts period.  His bold, simple style was admired throughout Europe and America. This piano is very typical of his work  with contrasts in colour and texture achieved with unusual materials, inlays and marquetry. The piano's name refers to an inhabitant of  the Isle of Man.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}},{"text":"International Arts & Crafts\r\nThe piano shows Baillie Scott's innovative and sophisticated approach to design.  Its form is bold and simple but the unusual materials provide contrasts in colour and texture.  Baillie Scott showed a similar ingenuity of vision in all his work.  The design was praised by the critics but never of commercial success.","date":{"text":"17/03/2005","earliest":"2005-03-17","latest":"2005-03-17"}}],"partNumbers":["W.15:1-1976","W.15:2-1976"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1976,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Piano","key"],"assets":["2019LN1994","2019LN2843","2019LP3445","2019LP2235","2019LU5579","2019LU1453","2019LV7641"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-08","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}