*Open to discussing value, please get in touch, thank you!*

This Chickering concert grand #25683 just underwent a multi-year functional and cosmetic restoration by well-known restorer Neil Davis near Blue Hill, Maine. It is 8'4", which was the Chickering concert grand of that era.

According to the Chickering Foundation, this piano was completed the first week of January, 1864, and left the Chickering factory on January 9th. It was purchased by actress Maude Banks, who later moved it to her summer home in Deer Isle, Maine. It remained there, well maintained and stored, for over 100 years. My mother, who also lives in Deer Isle and whose husband is a retired professional pianist, is likely only the second owner in 161 years.

It has a standard 88 key layout, beautiful unmarred rosewood woodwork, and all original keys as well as soundboard and hammers. In 2024, Neil Davis, a long-time Chickering (+ Steinway and others) restorer near Blue Hill, Maine, completed a full multi-year functional and cosmetic restoration, including new strings and felts.

According to the Chickering Foundation, this piano is quite rare:

"Your piano appears to be one of the few having a "composite" plate; that is, the supporting struts are not cast into the rest of the plate as on previous and subsequent (and even modern) pianos, but they are bolted on. I suspect they are made from wrought iron, rather than cast iron. As just mentioned, this practice was not long-lived with Chickering, as they returned to 1-piece cast plates. In fact, we've only seen one other grand piano with this type of composite plate and two uprights with it (one of which is in our collection)."

Please reach out with questions, comments, or offers.