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Radbon Fortepiano Workshop & Collection
Radbon Atelier & Sammlung für historische Tasteninstrumente
Fortepianos of the golden age...
Hammerklaviere der Blütezeit...



William Rolfe in London ca.1793
This pianos is one of the earliest William Rolfe pianos. According to Martha Novak Clinkscale (vol.2) the firm Rolfe & Davis was established in 1785 and William Rolfe alone made pianos under his name from about 1789. With his colleague Samuel Davis he filled a patent in 1797 for a stop which gives the effect of Turkish drums and cymbals!!
According to Clinkscale This is the earliest record of Janissary music on fortepianos but I found once another 18th century second hand piano advertisement in Russia (!!) which addressed Turkish music noises on that piano for sale!
Most probably reading the paragraph above is a big surprise but that is true and is a part of the history.
Tafelklavier Square piano
Fortepiano
Tafelklavier Square piano
Fortepiano
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