Piano-harp

Birgit Spiess <birgit.spiess [at] email__de> writes

>... I'm writing my diploma
>thesis, which deals with a piano-harp of the Dietz Company
>(Brussels, Belgium) from approximately 1890 from the stock of the
>Museum of Musical Instruments which is part of Leipzig University.
>...
>I am trying to find out if the engravings have been manufactured at
>least partially by means of a machine, maybe a small cutter.
>Different tool traces, e.g., in tight bendings of the engravings,
>suggest this ...

When it comes to early automated engraving, my first thought would
be a pantograph cutter and finishing or adding details by hand. I am
wondering if accessing the dossier of Bryan Donkin Company Limited
of Bermondsey London, later of Chesterfield Derbyshire held now by
Derbyshire Record Office (online ), re Bryan Donkin pantograph
machine and the Rose engine would reveal anything. Good luck in your
studies,

Jerzy Chlopicki, Conservator
Reynolds Alberta Museum
Wetaskiwin Alberta, Canada


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:4
                   Distributed: Tuesday, July 8, 2008
                        Message Id: cdl-22-4-008
                                  ***