61:
which was built by the Colt family, and it was in
Bethersden that Colt resided. Eventually the collection grew to size that storage necessitated using several Colt buildings within the village. Colt acquired specimens that held visual appeal as well as historical significance. Many of the instruments are artistically ornate, although some were acquired because of a decided absence of aesthetic sensibility. In the 1940s, many early pianos had been modified to sound like modern instruments. Those that remained in original condition were considered "old fashioned" and therefore valued as little more than decoration pieces. These conditions allowed Colt to acquire many of the specimens inexpensively. Piano-maker
537:
27:, Kent, England. Consisting mostly of 18th and 19th-century pianos, it also included a few harpsichords and a few unusual keyboards which defy standard categorisation. It was thought one of the most important collections of historically important keyboard instruments in the world. Some 114 instruments, the balance of the collection, were sold on 7 June 2018 by Canterbury Auction Galleries.
52:. The oldest specimen dated to 1775, with the most recent instrument dating to the late 19th century. Consisting in excess of 130 instruments, the collection was one of the largest of its type in England. In addition to actual instruments, the museum displayed numerous images and miscellaneous artefacts related to the history of pianos and their manufacture.
66:
1994 to create more appropriate space for housing the instruments, as many were difficult to access due to area limitations. The Colt
Collection maintained a policy of tightly controlled viewing and playing access, largely in response to damage caused by the public to the historical instruments found in the
146:
Following concerns about the climate control within the main building, and the proximity of climate-modifying equipment to the instruments, the balance of the collection, some 114 instruments, were sold on 7 June 2018 by
Canterbury Auction Galleries. They realised a total of £715,800 (inc premium). A
35:
The Colt
Clavier Collection was located in Bethersden, Kent, housed in a community of demonstration houses built by the Colt family. Most of the instruments were housed in a purpose-built building located next to the corporate business office, but each demonstration house also featured an instrument.
174:
series, depicts Handel playing a harpsichord by Mahoon, while accompanying the
Bolognese castrato singer, Carlo Farinelli. Given that this may have been a concert instrument it is not impossible that the great composer may have performed on it. This is a considerable rarity redolent of a high point
162:
Mahoon’s ‘double-manual harpsichord’, built in 1738, has been blocked from export by
Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, to provide an opportunity to keep it in the country. "This double-manual harpsichord by Joseph Mahoon is a remarkable survival. As well as its significance in
65:
was the curator of the collection from 1936 until 1973. A second building built specifically to house specimens was built in the mid-1970s. Although Colt died in 1985, maintenance of the collection continued under the management of Colt's widow and a board of trustees. Construction was underway in
60:
The collection was started in 1944 by
Charles F. Colt, whose family fortune came by way of constructing prefabricated housing. Colt began his collection with the purchase of an 1827 Broadwood square piano, which cost the sum of £6. Colt stored these instruments at the village hall in Bethersden,
82:
A particularly notable specimen is a "claviorganum" constructed by Merlin in 1784. This instrument combines the strings and the pipes of an organ, although the strings may be disabled. In appearance it is similar to many of the square pianos housed in the Colt
107:
An 1824 Broadwood, significant in that it contains three iron bars which provide structural reinforcement to the piano frame, during a time in which
Broadwood and the Érard company were in disagreement as to the origination of this
178:
The decision on the export licence application for the item will be deferred until 10 April 2019. This may be extended until 10 July 2019 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of
127:
A Joseph
Schneider, made approximately 1851. This piano is manufactured out of American bird's eye maple, with a mosaic inlay of wood. It is likely this is the instrument exhibited at the
562:
203:
567:
155:. Another number of instruments are now in the collection and some on display in the Geelvinck Music Museum Zutphen in Zutphen (Netherlands).
204:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190116102341/https://www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com/blog/the-colt-clavier-collection-an-introduction/
470:
419:
392:
330:
303:
199:
409:
382:
320:
293:
572:
508:
522:
352:
582:
134:
An 1855 Érard, an early example of a "modern" instrument with iron frame and action as currently in use in pianos.
166:
Mahoon was well-known for such luxurious harpsichords to the extent that the famous print by his contemporary,
131:. It has simple action, and a warm tone described as "feminine" in keeping with Viennese standards of the time.
121:
An 1840 "dog-kennel" instrument manufactured by
Lichtenthal, whose appearance has been described as "ghastly."
541:
445:
587:
460:
94:
158:
On 11 January 2019 the Department of Culture Media and Sport issued a press release announcing that:
171:
128:
62:
49:
200:
https://www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com/blog/the-colt-clavier-collection-an-introduction/
466:
415:
388:
326:
299:
270:
Bray, David (October 1994). "The Colt Clavier Collection at 50 – A Collection in Distress?".
167:
148:
536:
48:
and a few clavichords. The Colt Collection contained the largest single accumulation of
577:
101:
87:
36:
A few of the instruments were formerly on loan to museums in Germany and Switzerland.
556:
163:
the history of British keyboard instrument making, it is beautiful in its own right.
67:
540:
This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the
152:
115:
45:
24:
44:
The collection consisted mainly of pianos (forte-pianos), but also included
124:
An 1845 Collard and Collard cabinet piano, with an elaborate rosewood case.
525:. UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. 11 January 2019
111:
An 1827 Broadwood square piano, the first instrument acquired by Colt.
357:
The Early Piano: Authentic Materials for Early Keyboard Instruments
23:
was a collection of historical keyboard instruments located in
353:"The Survival and Preservation of English Square Pianos"
222:
Ratcliffe, Ronald V. (March 1977). "A Keyboard Heaven".
100:
An 1821 Broadwood which had been sent to the Brighton
523:"Unique 18th century harpsichord at risk of export"
448:. New York, NY: Musical Heritage Society. OR 174.
489:Colt, C. F. (March 1977). "From My Collection".
160:
8:
563:Collections of museums in the United Kingdom
147:number of instruments are now on display at
414:. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 248.
376:
374:
217:
215:
213:
211:
195:
193:
298:. Oxford University Press. p. 457.
287:
285:
484:
482:
435:
433:
431:
346:
344:
342:
278:(1). Ruxbury Publications, Ltd.: 30–33.
265:
263:
261:
259:
257:
189:
384:Malcolm Williamson: A Mischievous Muse
255:
253:
251:
249:
247:
245:
243:
241:
239:
237:
7:
509:"Rare piano auction hits right key"
351:Walker, Graham (17 December 2013).
40:Scope and importance of collection
14:
292:Clinkscale, Martha Novak (1999).
535:
568:1944 establishments in England
295:Makers of the Piano: 1820–1860
16:Keyboard instrument collection
1:
542:Open Government Licence v3.0
322:The Keyboard Stringing Guide
175:in British musical life. ...
604:
465:. Routledge. p. 232.
462:The Piano: An Encyclopedia
411:Early Keyboard Instruments
272:Harpsichord and Fortepiano
459:Palmieri, Robert (2004).
408:Ripin, Edwin M. (1989).
129:Great Exhibition of 1851
21:Colt Clavier Collection
442:Charles Valentin Alkan
319:Louchet, Jean (2010).
181:
381:Harris, Paul (2009).
172:‘The Rake’s Progress’
573:Keyboard instruments
544:. © Crown copyright.
118:from the late 1830s.
583:Borough of Ashford
202:saved Jan 16 2019
387:. Omnibus Press.
79:Schiedmayer, 1780
595:
545:
539:
534:
532:
530:
519:
513:
512:
505:
499:
498:
486:
477:
476:
456:
450:
449:
437:
426:
425:
405:
399:
398:
378:
369:
368:
366:
364:
348:
337:
336:
316:
310:
309:
289:
280:
279:
267:
232:
231:
219:
206:
197:
50:Broadwood pianos
603:
602:
598:
597:
596:
594:
593:
592:
553:
552:
549:
548:
528:
526:
521:
520:
516:
511:. 23 June 2018.
507:
506:
502:
488:
487:
480:
473:
458:
457:
453:
440:Smith, Ronald.
439:
438:
429:
422:
407:
406:
402:
395:
380:
379:
372:
362:
360:
350:
349:
340:
333:
325:. p. 146.
318:
317:
313:
306:
291:
290:
283:
269:
268:
235:
221:
220:
209:
198:
191:
186:
168:William Hogarth
149:Hammerwood Park
144:
76:
58:
42:
33:
17:
12:
11:
5:
601:
599:
591:
590:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
555:
554:
547:
546:
514:
500:
478:
471:
451:
427:
420:
400:
393:
370:
338:
331:
311:
304:
281:
233:
207:
188:
187:
185:
182:
143:
142:Current status
140:
139:
138:
137:An 1868 Érard.
135:
132:
125:
122:
119:
112:
109:
105:
102:Royal Pavilion
98:
91:
84:
80:
75:
72:
57:
54:
41:
38:
32:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
600:
589:
588:Music in Kent
586:
584:
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
560:
558:
551:
543:
538:
524:
518:
515:
510:
504:
501:
496:
492:
485:
483:
479:
474:
472:9781135949648
468:
464:
463:
455:
452:
447:
444:(LP Record).
443:
436:
434:
432:
428:
423:
421:9780393305159
417:
413:
412:
404:
401:
396:
394:9780857120465
390:
386:
385:
377:
375:
371:
359:. Early Piano
358:
354:
347:
345:
343:
339:
334:
332:9781445710334
328:
324:
323:
315:
312:
307:
305:9780198166252
301:
297:
296:
288:
286:
282:
277:
273:
266:
264:
262:
260:
258:
256:
254:
252:
250:
248:
246:
244:
242:
240:
238:
234:
229:
225:
218:
216:
214:
212:
208:
205:
201:
196:
194:
190:
183:
180:
176:
173:
169:
164:
159:
156:
154:
150:
141:
136:
133:
130:
126:
123:
120:
117:
113:
110:
106:
103:
99:
96:
92:
90:cottage piano
89:
85:
81:
78:
77:
73:
71:
69:
64:
55:
53:
51:
47:
39:
37:
30:
28:
26:
22:
550:
527:. Retrieved
517:
503:
494:
490:
461:
454:
446:Ronald Smith
441:
410:
403:
383:
361:. Retrieved
356:
321:
314:
294:
275:
271:
227:
223:
177:
165:
161:
157:
145:
108:development.
68:Fenton House
59:
46:harpsichords
43:
34:
20:
18:
497:(3): 23–25.
230:(3): 22–23.
153:East Sussex
83:collection.
63:Derek Adlam
557:Categories
529:17 January
184:References
25:Bethersden
74:Specimens
363:27 April
179:£85,560.
93:An 1818
88:Clementi
86:An 1812
31:Location
491:Clavier
224:Clavier
56:History
469:
418:
391:
329:
302:
578:Piano
170:, in
151:, in
95:Érard
531:2019
467:ISBN
416:ISBN
389:ISBN
365:2015
327:ISBN
300:ISBN
116:Graf
19:The
559::
495:16
493:.
481:^
430:^
373:^
355:.
341:^
284:^
274:.
236:^
228:16
226:.
210:^
192:^
114:A
70:.
533:.
475:.
424:.
397:.
367:.
335:.
308:.
276:5
104:.
97:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.