
The clearest picture of harp making from this time comes from several surviving harps by a maker by the name of Hochbrucker.Įarly pedal harps were not fully mechanized, occasionally having as few as two foot pedals. The inventor of the system of foot pedals from which today's pedal harp descends is no new subject of debate, and it is indeed possible that the system was developed by several mutually influential makers. This paper endeavors to combine original patents, miscellaneous historical documents, and evidence gathered from extant historical instruments by Lyon & Healy to identify each of the above and other specific changes, their inventors, the time of their introduction, as well as the overall motivation behind each of these important changes.ĭue to sheer lack of extant instruments from the early 18 th century, the precise origins of the pedal harp remain obscure.


Each of these improvements has since been adopted by every modern-day harp maker. Of the many innovations of the Lyon & Healy company, three of the utmost importance to the development of the instrument: the “adjustable fourchette,” allowing simple regulation of the harp’s tuning in the natural and sharp positions, the “single-link mechanism,” an internal change to the mechanism greatly simplifying both function and manufacture, and lastly the “extended soundboard,” an extension of the soundbox of the instrument allowing for greater volume.

#LYON HEALY SERIAL NUMBERS HARP SERIES#
If you are running into this problem, feel free to give us a call, and we’ll be happy to work with you to locate your serial number.The design of the pedal harp underwent a series of dramatic changes at the turn of the century, most of them attributable to the inventive minds at a Chicago-based musical instrument manufacturer and music publisher, Lyon & Healy.
#LYON HEALY SERIAL NUMBERS HARP SERIAL NUMBER#
Sometimes, however, a serial number can be nearly impossible to find, even to professionals who know where to look and have identified thousands of serial numbers in their years of expertise. Paired with the who made the piano, the age is a key piece of information, and many piano experts can begin to assign a value quickly after assessing the condition and a few other criteria. The first thing the serial number tells you is the age of the piano. It is usually not necessary to remove the upper front panel to find the serial number (as in this picture).īy locating the serial number, you can begin your research to know the value of the piano. Upright or vertical piano serial numbers can usually be found by lifting the lid and looking inside on the gold harp or plate. It may be necessary to clean dust off the harp or soundboard before the serial number can be seen. This is a view of the grand with the lid open and the music desk removed. Typically, a serial number has 5 to 7 digits, but in some cases, it may have fewer or more and may also include a letter. The various places on the diagram point to some possible locations.

Grand serial numbers like on the Steinway pictured above may be found in many different places. We provide our customers with the following real-life diagrams to quickly help them find the serial number on their grand or upright piano. The serial number is considered your piano’s birth certificate, and it is the way the original manufacturer assigned it a unique. One of the primary ways you can begin to investigate the value of your piano is by locating the serial number.
