Exhibitions Medals and Awards for pianos

by Bill Kibby

DATES OF EXHIBITION MEDALS & AWARDS

Many pianos were awarded prize medals at exhibitions, (the selection above is from Mannborg's ad of 1912) and here's a scan of a bronze medal from the Great Exhibition, in the possession of Mary Thrower.

The makers liked to show them off in the form of transfers stuck on the soundboard of a grand, cast into the frame, or in more obvious positions on an upright. Brinsmead is a classic example, and won an incredible number of medals.

Makers often show both sides of each medal, and this tends to make them look like twice as many! These medals are usually dated, and people often run away with the idea that this is the date of the piano. All they can really tell you in themselves is that the piano was made in or after the latest year you can see. If the maker's other medals are listed in my files, then it may be possible to get some estimate of the age of the instrument by finding out which medals are missing.

For more information on exhibitions and awards, see our pricelist.

(Rough Notes, some illustrations available)

1850 Busson exhibited the Harmoniflute, a cross between an accordeon and a harmonium.

1855 Erards won the highest award at the Paris Exhibition. R.N.Wornum mentions the 1855 Paris Exhibition in an article which he contributed to The Popular Encyclopaedia "On the progress of The Fine Arts during the present century, more especially in Great Britain.", a work which I have not been able to date yet.

1861 Babcock's Oblique Cross-Stringing was a sensation.

1867 Paris Exposition: Article mentions technical details of Pape's pianos, including a cross-strung piano in which the bass strings go behind the soundboard.

1867 Picture of an ornate grand which Henri Herz exhibited at the Paris Exposition.

1867 Allison received an award, according to their 1918 ad.

1868 Universal Exhibition, Paris, included at least 4 very ornate pianos, which were illustrated in the Art Journal Catalogue: Although formally indexed as "Pianofortes" these were more casually referred to as "Pianos" in the text. C. Bechstein showed a grand and an upright. Henri Hansen, Copenhagen, designed an upright case. John Bettridge, Birmingham, showed his papier mache upright case.

1878 Many items about the Paris Exhibition are available from a bound copy of The Illustrated London News, but no piano information has been found among them so far.

1878 Picture of Medal from the Paris Exhibition.

1878 Art Journal Catalogue of the Paris Exhibition, 1878, only lists one piano firm - Challen & Son, and illustrates their piano, plus the Shoolbred instrument.

1878 English Guide to the Paris Exhibition, 1878, doesn't seem to contain a single reference to pianos, or mention any piano-makers' names.

Some makers' ads imply that there is only one Gold Medal per exhibition, but seven are mentioned below, and there were often separate medals for different classes, so a piano maker might have more chance of a gold by entering in an unexpected class.

1878 Barratt & Robinson, Pianoforte Manufacturers, 9a Georgiana street Camden Town: Received an Honourable Mention at the Paris Exhibition for our 'Cleopatra' Pianofortes. The above pianos are recommended to the trade as being the most saleable now in the market. They have full rich tone, prompt touch, and are made of thoroughly seasoned material. We have every confidence in asserting them to be the cheapest now offered. Drawings and price list on application. The reference to Cleopatra is timed just about right to connect with the popularity of egyptology, and the erection of the so-called "Cleopatra's Needle" in London. An item about this from the Illustrated London News can be copied if anyone is interested.

1878 Brewer: Ad in The Illustrated London News says Brewer and Co.'s Upright Grand Pianoforte was exhibited at the International Exhibition in London, 1872.

1878 Challen & Son upright piano, almost an early attempt at Arts & Crafts in style, illustrated in the Art Journal catalogue.

1878 Dreaper, Liverpool, received an Honourable Mention at the Paris Exhibition.

1878 Hopkinson claimed to have received the only Gold Medal for Great Britain at the Paris Exhibition, but...

1878 Monington & Weston, on their 1958 centenary leaflet, proudly show this picture of their upright which won the Gold Medal at the 1878 Paris Exhibition!

1878 Japanese square piano was also shown at the Paris Exhibition.

1878 Pleyel received a gold medal at the Paris Exhibition.

1878 Schwander (actions) received a Gold Medal at the Paris Exhibition. (See below.)

1878 Shoolbred & Co. piano, possibly built to the design of H.W. Batley ("The principal artist of the establishment is Mr H.W.Batley") for the Paris Exhibition is presumed to have had a Collard interior, like a similar instrument now in the Victoria & Albert Museum.

1879 Diagram of TC-SOBR Tape Check overdamper action from Bord upright, with very thin hammer butts. Reconstructed picture of an inscription on the wooden standard says - Jean Schwander & Herrburger, Expositions Universelles, Paris Argent, (year missing) Paris Or 1878, Vienne Progres 1873. 45 Rue De L'Evangile 16 Paris.

1889 Erard received the Grand Prix at the Paris Exhibition. Pleyel, Wolff & Cie received the Grand Prize too! Evidently, this great "Pianobition" had more than one!

1889 Hopkinson invoice (courtesy Gill Green): Awarded the ONLY GOLD MEDAL for Pianofortes (British Section) Paris 1878. Hopkinson Brothers & Co., Patent Pianoforte Makers, 5 & , Commercial Street, Leeds. Awarded the highest honours at the great European International Competitions of 1855, 1862, & 1878, for Grand & Cottage Pianos of their manufacture, and also the Exhibition Prize medals in 1851, 1859, 1865, 1866, 1877, 1878.

1893 Nothing to do with Columbia or Colombia, the so-called "Columbian Exposition" took place in Chicago, 1893 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus. Newman Brothers showed organs. Bent, Bush & Gertz, Cable, Kimball, Kingsbury, Lehr, Melville Clark, Orpheus, Reed & Sons, Starck, Strauch and Vose all showed pianos, and almost all of them received medals, which seems to devalue the whole process! Strauch Bros claimed "The Highest Award" at the Columbian Exposition, yet Kimball, who received a medal, said they were "The only manufacturer thus honored"! People reading information written on instruments naturally assume that the individual piano was actually there at the exhibition, or even won a prize medal, whereas this is usually general information written on hundreds or thousands of pianos made in the years after the exhibition, some certainly as late as 1914.

1893 Ramsden receipt (courtesy Gill Green): Archibald Ramsden Limited, Pianoforte & Music Saloon, 12 Park Row, Leeds. Sole agents for J.& P. Schiedmayer's, Knauss & Sohne's, & Werner's Iron Pianofortes. And at 103 New Bond Street, London. By Royal Appointment to the Queen. Dawes's Patent Melody Organs obtained the only Prize Medal awarded to English Exhibitors at the Exposition Universelle, Paris 1867. Feb 5 To tuning piano 5/3 Oct 27 " " " 5/3 - 10/6

1900 According to their 1908 receipt, Bluthners received the highest awards at the Paris Exhibition.

1901 Army & Navy Co-Operative Society Ltd. catalogue page: Pianofortes by John Broadwood & Sons. Paris Exhibition 1900 Grand Prix - Highest Award.

1901 Receipt (courtesy Gill Green): R.W. Pentland, Pianoforte & Music Seller, 24 Frederick Street, Edinburgh. Telephone No. 2308. Sole Agent - Schiedmayer, Pianofortefabrik, Stuttgart. Pianofortes & Organs for sale & hire. Tuning & Repairing in all its branches. 1901 July 27 To removing Harmonium from hall to churh & back on Aug 10th. 8/- Received payment with thanks 3rd Jan 1902.

1901 Army & Navy Stores catalogue: Bluthner Pianofortes: Grand Prix at Paris Exhibition, highest possible award. (This seems to conflict with the above statement about Broadwood, but Bluthners' Grand Prix may have been a different year.) The ad continues... The Bluthner Overstrung Upright Grand Pianofortes contain the Steel Cupola Frame; Metal bridges throughout the scale, the Perfect Repetition Action with Metallic Action-casing & Metal Action-standards; the Compressed Sound-board; the Overstrung Scaling with Three Strings to each note; 7¬ octaves.

1937 Plan of the Exposition Des Arts et Des Techniques layout around Paris shows that the displays for "Grand Bretagne" were located right next to the Eiffel Tower, on the riverbank. No doubt this would have included pianos, but no details are on file yet.

WANTED: Any kind of paperwork or information about pianos or piano makers, such as adverts, articles, booklets, books, catalogues, diagrams, directory lists, guarantees, letterheads, pictures, postcards, posters, pricelists, receipts, record sleeves, trade cards, warranties, &c.