Welcome to my May 2012 listing of Antique and Used Keyboard instruments.
Here is a summary of the Second-hand and new instruments which are listed in more detail below:
Antique English Bentside spinet. £18,000.
Italian Harpsichord. Now in the U.K. Offers invited in excess of £12,000.
A fine English Spinet by Thomas Hitchcock c1724 Customer's instrument, Listed on 'More photographs' page. Offers around £30,000.
New English harpsichord being made by Peter Barnes to be finished in Aug 2012. £6,500.
18th Century turned spinet stand £800 and lid with fine antique hinges £1,100.
English Bentside Spinet after Keene and Brackley. Part made kit £1,300. Or finished by Peter Barnes £2,800.
Bentside Spinet by Hugh Gough, serviced and re-voiced with Delrin plectra £1,400.
Italian Harpsichord £2,800 and virginals £2,200 - can be seen in Cork, Ireland.
Harpsichord by John Barnes 1962. After Kirchman. £3000.
Clayson and Garrett Double Manual Harpsichord 8' 2" x 38". was £995- Reduced to £500 as seen, with advice on restoration.
Coming soon:
French Double made from Bolton kit c. 1985 £4,000.
18th century English Bentside Spinet.
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This signature (J Green?) can be seen on the underside of the soundboard below the treble area of the bridge:
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I have had much help in trying to identify the maker of this spinet. Research so far indicates that this spinet may well have been made in the Baker Harris workshops, London, c.1770. The case shape, present compass, and decorative hinges would indicate this. During construction the keyboard was skilfully enlarged from a GG-e3 compass to FF,GG-f3 and extra jack guide holes and extra strings have been added at treble and bass so there is a close pair of strings and inward facing jacks at either end. The baseboard has two scribed lines which may correspond to the original planned outer edges of the keyboard indicating that the compass was altered during the early stages of making the spinet.
Clearly, there is much to be discovered about this spinet. I have started work on the voicing and the spinet sounds very good. This spinet is available for £18,000.
Copy by Selway Robson of the 18th Century Spinet advertised above. This spinet is in full playing condition and is available for £ 4500.00. It can be seen and collected from Cape Town in South Africa. A warm welcome awaits! Transposable 415/440  |   |
Italian Harpsichord. Date unknown. Bought from Fabio Brunelli of Bologna, an Italian antique dealer c.1996. 2 x 8' stops, Name-board, jacks, jack-rail and jack-rail supports are carefully made reproductions. This instrument needs some attention to ease the registers and to the voicing. It is strung in brass in the bass and iron in the treble. C-f3. Can now be seen in England.   
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New English Harpsichord by Peter Barnes A brass strung 2x8’ harpsichord with walnut case and stand using the scaling of the London Bentside Spinet makers, Keene and Brackley, c. 1715 with a GG - f3 compass which transposes A440 / 415. This harpsichord has traditional wooden jacks, guides and keyboard, a detachable lid with solid brass-work and a folding music desk. The solid walnut stand detaches from the harpsichord and can be easily taken apart. The harpsichord is 6’ 3” long, 35” wide and 8” deep. Available July 2012. £6,500
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Turned Bentside Spinet stand. c. 1710? Timber identified as Walnut. Bought from William Drake (organ maker) in Sept. 1986. Height 63cm, Length of spine 128cm, 25cm wide at bass end of keyboard, 81cm keyboard, 78cm bentside, 56cm max width. Very fine turning. £800.
Bentside Spinet Lid and hinges c.1760? Mahogany with unpolished underside and fine set of six cast brass hinges which match the lid. Length of spine 184cm, Maximum width 61.5cm, lid flap 90cm x 18.5cm. From John Barnes collection. £1,100.
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Keene and Brackley Bentside Spinet Kit designed by John Barnes. This is probably the best designed and most authentic spinet kit ever made and it comes with ornate hinges and a challenging marquetry panel to make for the nameboard. Available now, partly made with all parts to finish it for £1,300, or as a finished instrument £2,800.
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Indian Satin Wood Veneer c.1960. Cut by circular saw, 1.3mm thick. 140cm x 40cm max, 120cm x 30cm minimum, plus 4 smaller pieces of similar veneer. Would make several beautiful nameboards! £120.
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Italian Harpsichord with superb case decoration! BB-e3 compass, 2 x 8' stops. Requires re-voicing. £2,800 when in playing condition.   |  A great reason to visit Cork, Ireland, where it can be seen! |
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Single Manual Harpsichord
after Kirchman by
John Barnes, 1962.
Made by John Barnes in 1962, this harpsichord is has a dated case design and pedals rather than stop levers.The case is made from recycled Mahogony which came from a bank in Guildford, Surrey. Without depressing any pedals, it sounds 2 x 8 foot stops. The left pedal silences the back 8', the second pedal silences the front 8', the third adds the 4' and the forth engages a buff stop on the front 8'.
Bridge dimensions, soundboard thicknesses, plucking points and string lengths (except the slightly shortened bass strings) are copied from Kirchman. The keyboard was rescued from a Kirchman piano c.1820.
This harpsichord is for sale for £3,000 or is available for long term hire at £60 per month plus transporting costs. Size: 212cm long, 81cm wide and 93cm high. The cheek is 60cm long. Thanks to the authentic soundboard and bridge dimensions and good string lengths this harpsichord does sound like a Kirchman in spite of the 'revival harpsichord' look of the case.
Contact: Peter Barnes 46 Church Lane, Rode, Frome, Somerset, BA11 6PN
01373 831498
mailto:peterbarnes850@btinternet.com
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Sold since Jan 2012:
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Flemish Harpsichord by Geoffrey Moore, 1976. Stand and case made in oak and oak veneer. 8-foot stop with buff and 4-foot. GG- f sharp 3 compass (a semitone short of 5 octaves). This harpsichord has been re-voiced in Dec 2011 with new plectra in both registers and a transposing device added so that it plays at 415 with the full compass and at 440 with the loss of the top f#. It is in very good condition, easily transportable in a medium sized hatchback, size 208cm long x 93cm wide x 27cm deep. The solid oak stand takes apart. Available Jan 3rd. £1,800. Sold Feb 2012 |  |
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Double Manual French Harpsichord by Zuckermann 1976. Large compass FF-g3. 2 x 8', 4' and Buff stops. Can be tuned to a=440/415. We are working on this harpsichord now. Jennifer Douglas has repainted the soundboard with traditional French bird and flowers based on the Edinburgh Taskin (Below right). I am about to re-string and re-voice it. A great, sturdy instrument for the professional musician, sized 240cm long x 100cm wide x 32cm high. £5,995. Sold in Jan 2012.
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This website is updated as soon as I have new stock or sell an instrument. Go to next page:hiring-and-tuning.php
