Antique Pianos Include the Chickering
The Chickering grand in Louis XIV style is a typical production of Chickering and Sons’ art department and one of the true antique pianos.
Chickering was a scientific piano maker. When MacKay joined the Chickering firm to carry out a selling campaign to make the Chickering piano known all over the United Stated, this freed Chickering to devote his time to develop and improve his piano. When MacKay never returned from a South American trip to procure wood for the pianos, Jonas Chickering ad to assume full responsibility for the company again.
Chickering took painstaking care down to the smallest detail, which assured the Chickering piano the place of honor in the first ranks at the World’s Fair in London in 1851 and other years.
When the Chickering factory burned in 1852, Chickering built another factory, considered one of the best. All the strain led to Jonas Chickerings’ death in 1853 leaving his piano business to his three sons who were already trained in the piano making.
One son, because of health, made a voyage to India, where he sold some Chickering pianos, making Chickering the first exporters of American made pianos.
Again, many virtuosos gave concerts using the Chickering grand pianos. Chickering Hall, and others, was used by many soloists, pianists, and symphony orchestras always using the Chickering piano.
Chickering became a part of the American Piano Company but maintaining the high character of the Chickering product.
