Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

PIANO (WILLIS PLAYER)

Date

1917

Materials

MAHOGANY, IVORY, EBONY

No. Pieces

3

Height

144.7

Length

152.4

Width

97.2

Description

BENCH 51.4 CM HT. X 35.6 CM WTH. X 88.9 CM LTH. SERIAL #14389. STILL FUNCTIONAL, THE PLAYER APPARATUS HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO ELECTRICITY. "WILLIS" ABOVE KEYBOARD. STILL HAS FOOT PEDALS TO OPERATE BELLOWS. "WARRANTY CERTIFICATE". "THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THIS PIANO FORTE WAS MANUFACTURED BY US AND IS FULLY WARRANTEED FOR THE TERM OF 5 YEARS FROM DATE, AGAINST ANY DEFECT CAUSED BY FAULTY WORKMANSHIP OR DEFECTIVE MATERIALS UNDER FAIR USAGE DURING THE ABOVE STATED TIME. PRESENCE OF RUST ON THE METAL PART OF THE PIANO IS ABSOLUTE PROOF, THAT THE INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY DAMPNESS AND IN SUCH A CASE WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE PIANO RESULTING THEREFROM WILLIS PIANO CO. LTD. MONTREAL". "NOTICE: POSITIVELY NO OIL, VASELINE OR GREASE SHOULD BE USED ON THE SLIDE VALVES OR WOODEN SURFACES OF THIS MOTOR. IF THE BUSHED BEARINGS SQUEAK USE UNSALTED BEEF TALLON". THREE METAL FOOT PEDALS UNDER TRAP DOOR FOR FOOT PEDALS. ELECTRICAL CORD AT REAR. TAPE ON UPPER INTERIOR WRITTEN "AUGUST 27,1915". BENCH IS MAHOGANY, WITH HINGED SEAT. CHIP ON BACK; SCRATCHES THROUGHOUT INSIDE CORNERS STAMPED "11,22,3344".

Subjects

MUSICAL T&E

Historical Association

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

History

*MECHANICAL PLAYER SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED WINTER 2000-01 WHEN USED FOR CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. SHE WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PLAYER PIANO'S ORIGINAL OWNER, BUT ASKED.COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN WHAT HE REMEMBERED OF THE PIANO'S USE AT THE MUSEUM. MACLEAN RECALLED THAT THE PIANO WAS USED THROUGHOUT THE 1990S AS PART OF SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE MUSEUM, ESPECIALLY THE 'GRANDMA'S KITCHEN' PROGRAM THAT RAN AT CHRISTMASTIME. THE PIANO WAS WHEELED FROM COLLECTIONS STORAGE UPSTAIRS TO THE PUBLIC AREA, AND FITTED WITH THE MUSIC ROLLS HELD IN THE GALT'S EDUCATION COLLECTION TO PLAY SONGS DURING THE PROGRAM. MACLEAN ALSO REMEMBERED THAT LOCAL SENIORS SINGING GROUPS SOMETIMES CAME IN TO ENTERTAIN AND SING ALONG WITH A PIANIST WHO PLAYED THE PIANO. SOMETIME NEAR THE END OF THE 1990S, ONE OF THE PIANO'S CASTERS WAS BROKEN DURING TRANSPORTATION IN BETWEEN COLLECTIONS STORAGE AND THE MUSEUM'S MAIN LEVEL, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE PIANO NO LONGER BEING USED FOR PROGRAMS. UPDATE 9 NOVEMBER 2023: INTERVIEW CONDUCTED WITH MARJORIE CRONKHITE ON 5 MAY 2023 WHEN SHE STATES SHE HAS PERSONAL MEMORIES OF THE PLAYER PIANO IN HER FAMILY HOME IN WARNER AB, AND THAT IT WAS LATER CARED FOR – AND DONATED – RESPECTIVELY BY HER LATE BROTHERS DONALD “DONNY” AND EMIL IN THE 1960S. LATE BROTHER EMIL GUNDLOCK ATTESTED VERBALLY TO COLLECTIONS STAFF (MACLEAN) THAT THE PIANO WAS DONATED TO THE GALT BY THE GUNDLOCK FAMILY BEFORE HIS PASSING. IN A LETTER TO STAFF ACCOMPANYING THE CORRECTED TRANSCRIPT, CRONKHITE ADMITS NEW UNCERTAINTY ON PIANO’S FAMILY CLAIM AFTER LEARNING THE GALT EXAMPLE IS ELECTRIC. SHE AND A SISTER-IN-LAW DO NOT RECALL THE FAMILY EXAMPLE BEING ELECTRICALLY POWERED. IT IS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, THAT LATE BROTHER EMIL (OR OTHERS) MADE IT ELECTRIC. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE 2023 INTERVIEW ON FILE.

Catalogue Number

P19738630000

Acquisition Date

1973-06

Collection

Museum

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