Bill Edwards
2007-06-15 14:17:08 UTC
Good news for the Joplin fans. Through the Elite Syncopations group we
became aware of a St. Louis area resident trying to sell a 1900-1908
or so Bahnsen upright piano. It is a beautiful instrument, and still
serviceable as well.
Through the efforts of myself and Dr. Dave Majchrzak, we are currently
working a deal where the owner will likely donate it to Scott Joplin
House State Park in St. Louis, where copies of Bethena and Binks Waltz
can hang above it, and Sarah Dear if they have one. While there are
pianos there already (a player, two uprights and one newer grand by my
last count a few weeks ago), this would be a great direct link to the
composer who may have been living there shortly before the two waltzes
and one song were published by Bahnsen.
Even though I have seen Bahnsen listed as a broker, yet shown as
manufacturer on their logo, I don't have enough info to know if they
actually built this piano (which has their name stamped on it, but
slightly haphazard) or jobbed it out as so many smaller music
companies and stores did in that era, with Aeolian being one of the
more prevalant suppliers. There is that possibility though that it was
St. Louis built. Anybody who knows more about this (Bahnsen is missing
from many piano databases) please send the information so we can have
it in place for SJHS.
You can view photos of it through the original source, Jim Dee, who
started this process.
http://foxhanger.com/joplin/bahnsen.html
Thanks for anything you can provide. I'll follow up when things are
complete, perhaps with an address for the contributor so we can thank
him for his kind act.
Finest RAGards, Bill E.
became aware of a St. Louis area resident trying to sell a 1900-1908
or so Bahnsen upright piano. It is a beautiful instrument, and still
serviceable as well.
Through the efforts of myself and Dr. Dave Majchrzak, we are currently
working a deal where the owner will likely donate it to Scott Joplin
House State Park in St. Louis, where copies of Bethena and Binks Waltz
can hang above it, and Sarah Dear if they have one. While there are
pianos there already (a player, two uprights and one newer grand by my
last count a few weeks ago), this would be a great direct link to the
composer who may have been living there shortly before the two waltzes
and one song were published by Bahnsen.
Even though I have seen Bahnsen listed as a broker, yet shown as
manufacturer on their logo, I don't have enough info to know if they
actually built this piano (which has their name stamped on it, but
slightly haphazard) or jobbed it out as so many smaller music
companies and stores did in that era, with Aeolian being one of the
more prevalant suppliers. There is that possibility though that it was
St. Louis built. Anybody who knows more about this (Bahnsen is missing
from many piano databases) please send the information so we can have
it in place for SJHS.
You can view photos of it through the original source, Jim Dee, who
started this process.
http://foxhanger.com/joplin/bahnsen.html
Thanks for anything you can provide. I'll follow up when things are
complete, perhaps with an address for the contributor so we can thank
him for his kind act.
Finest RAGards, Bill E.