Art-Case Pianos... and a Question...
By Pat Mullarky
To all:
I looked in on the Smythe collection of Art-case Pianos. It is definitely worth visiting. (www.mts.net/~smythe).
On this subject.....
I am currently working on a 1925 Wm Knabe "Verni-Martin" Art-case 5'4" Ampico "A". It has many Victorian-era paintings on its Louis XVI platform- type case. It appears that it was overcoated with "Antiquing" coloration to give it an "old masters" look. The original overspray has since turned a dark, dirty, smoke-stained ugly brownish-greenish color over the years to where one can barely make out the original paintings, even in strong light. Apparently the original owner was a heavy smoker.
I am currently removing the old varnish on all surfaces using very careful painting-restoration techniques (my daughter works at the Seattle Art Museum, and has given me a *lot* of help). I am able to carefully remove just the varnish by a careful, judicious use of precise solvents, Q-tips, cotton balls and a soft toothbrush, leaving the original oil pigments essentially untouched. A sloooow process!
With the old varnish removed, beautiful and very colorful oil paintings on a light blue-gray enamel background are revealed.
The question will be whether to re-do the "antiquing" overspray or to leave the paintings in their bright, "cleaned and repaired" condition. Of course all gold leaf and gild trim will be restored also.
I remember the furor when a few of the Amsterdam Museum's lesser Rembrandts were cleaned of their original, now almost-totally-black varnish, revealing beautiful colors. Many thought it was sacrilege (old paintings are "supposed" to be very dark)....many others thought the cleaned paintings gorgeous.... Now, this piano isn't a Rembrandt, and my daughter says the paintings are "1920's kitch" and of little value as oil paintings per-se. They are mostly crudely executed copies of French artists. Their value lies in a beautifully decorated piano with "factory original" painted surfaces! She recommends leaving the paintings and the light background in the "as- cleaned" condition and only use a modern oil-painting varnish covering.... don't re-do the dark "antiquing".
Any thoughts would be appreciated......
-Pat-
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(Message sent Sun 13 Oct 1996, 21:20:05 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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