A brief history of piano frame decorations:
The cast iron plate, or frame, makes up about half the weight of a piano. The purpose of the plate is to maintain the combined tension of nearly 20 tons of pressure created by the hundreds of piano strings strung across the piano. It is this strength that allows modern pianos to play much more powerfully than early pianofortes could. The first piano frames were made of wood (similar to harpsichord construction), then later, iron beams were added. Eventually full cast iron frames became the norm and remain so today.
The vast majority of piano plates are painted a golden or bronze color, and are often cast with raised lettering, medallions, decorative textures, designs, or other filigree added. Sometimes these areas, such as the holes on a grand piano frame are functional, but care was taken to make them visually appealing as well. The raised areas are often painted black, and in the heyday of piano construction, were sometimes decorated in vibrant colors and designs.
In upright pianos, this art was seen by the customer in the showroom, then hidden and sealed away to be enjoyed only by piano technicians for rest of the piano’s life. In grand pianos, plate decorations are more visible and prevalent.
After decades of admiring these as a piano technician, I began photographing them in 2019. The gallery which follows displays some of the more interesting ones. Please do not share or reproduce these images without my permission. I hope you enjoy this virtual museum.
