Mason & Hamlin Arrive at the Cross House!
Susan and Harrison Cross built the Cross House. Their granddaughter, Mary, lived with them. She was nine-years-old when the house was finished.
Mary later married, and moved to Seattle.
In January, 2024, the great-grandson of Mary, Peter, reached out to me. I was thrilled! But it got better.
After moving to Seattle, Mary purchased an 1892 Mason & Hamlin upright piano. The family no longer had room for it. And Peter wrote:
“My sister, Karin, thought that maybe offering it to you for the house might be a way to honor the piano and add to the decor of the house. I would be responsible for shipping costs, and plan to have it tuned soon.” Peter’s brother, Scott was part of this family decision.
Golly. I replied: YES!
Then I gave it no more thought. Until Peter emailed in July: “It’s on its way!”
Golly.
Peter’s mother, Liz, took over the shipping arrangements. She wrote: “I am delighted to be sending Mary’s piano to you. It belongs there.” Liz has had the piano since she was seven-years-old.
So, what began at the very beginning of 2024 concludes on the very last day of 2024, because today, at long last, a part of Mary has returned to the Cross House.
Wanna see?
Just scroll down….
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Squee! It looks perfect! Liz wrote: “The piano looks as though it’s where it was meant to be.”
The legs are beauties!
As is the pedal plate.
There’s a built-in tuner! It pulls up and away
Mary, on her 90th birthday. Image courtesy of Liz Lang.
I think this is so exciting! And incredible.
A special thanks to Liz, and her three children: Peter, Karin and Scott. How lovely, thoughtful, and generous of the family. I hope they can visit some day. They will always be very welcome.
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This is so neat!
It is a beauty. What a wonderful way to end the year!
What a delightful turn of events! A very dignified piano.
So, so, so awesome! Congrats!
Goodness, what a delightful way to end the year! Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and the glorious photos! Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to you, Ross 🥳
Gorgeous. Please move it to an interior wall. Pianos don’t tolerate the fluctuations in temperature near windows or outside walls. Also, it may need to be tuned again after moving, and it may struggle to keep in tune. Many older pianos don’t hold a tune well. This is especially true if they weren’t consistently tuned. But it is gorgeous, and many people don’t know if a piano is in tune or not!
Miriam, I plan to put rigid insulation boards behind the piano.
And, yes, it needs to be tuned again!
When I was at highschool (decades ago) our music teacher insisted that the heating was turned off in the music room as the day and night changes in temperature were bad for the piano. So, unless your piano is mainly a decoration, you should consider moving it away from the radiators. (Our music teacher did not mind that we were freezing. She told us that we would warm up when singing.)
It also has a metal tuning board rather than a wooden pin board, so can stay in tune longer. I do agree about an interior wall though, if possible.
Peter! You made this all happen! Again, thank you!
I’m just thrilled! I have almost nothing connecting the house to the Cross Family. Save this extraordinary gift!
I want to thank you, too, and your wonderful family for making this happen. What a generous and thoughtful gift to Ross and the Cross House.
Congratulations on your ‘new’ piano! I love that it’s history makes it all the more a meaningful gift.
What a wonderful gift! I echo Miriam’s concern though. Placing a piano directly in front of a window can significantly affect its tuning stability due to temperature and humidity fluctuations caused by the changing outdoor conditions, leading to the piano going out of tune more frequently. It can even warp the soundboard.
DANG!! 0.0
(Seriously. That’s all I got. This was the coolest thing I’ve read in a while!)
What a wonderfully thoughtful thing to do. It restores my faith in people.
How delightful!
Is the piano going to be placed in the dining room or library?
Is it currently in the receiving room??
Happy New Year😃
What a marvelous way to end 2024!
Heartwarming story!
Love the photo of Mary on her 90th Birthday!!
PS Do you play piano Ross?
That is an oak upright grand and likely has real ebony and ivory keys. That brass should shine up nicely. It’s a shame you do not have the original piano stool. Something for you to add to your eBay search list. It was likely a stool, not a bench.
More magic returning to the Cross House.
I echo the previous cautions. Do not keep it in that place permanently. Putting rigid insulation behind it will not help. It needs to be away from windows and exterior walls. Not only will the sun damage it but near a window will cause too many temperature fluctuations and play havoc with the tuning. If the soundboard or harp warp or crack, the piano is essentially “dead”. Find a place further into the house that is neither too close to a heat source or near a window or some place drafty. You want a location with the least fluctuations in temperature and humidity, although there probably isn’t much you can do about the humidity. The piano isn’t just a lovely object of decoration, it is also a valuable instrument and even if you don’t play, you may have guests that do. How wonderful after one of your dinner parties to adjourn to gather around the piano while someone plays some songs and everyone sings along. Isn’t there a central area the stairs wind around? Center of the house?
There was a piano bench for this piano until about two years ago. I’m sorry to report that no one in the family wanted it when Louise and I moved to a retirement home, so it went to Goodwill. It was oak, with turned legs and glass ball holders for brass feet. I loved it, but had no space.
Thanks for the description.
Ross: check this out before it’s gone.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1849581623/vintage-claw-and-ball-piano-stool?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=antique+piano+stool&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&content_source=483588b305ebaa0d2af542c7aa0a5f4e74552a6e%253A1849581623&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1
Yes! All of the above, but don’t forget the water jar!
What a beauty – a 19th century upright! The interior is often a work of art. 💜
The uprights are tough – they travel well & are fairly self contained. However, the interior wood needs to breathe which is why the front usually pushes forward when the keyboard is exposed for play – keeps the dust out when closed. But most importantly, in winter when the air is dry, this lovey is gonna need a little drinky. Not to worry, only a little seasonal help is required.
Ok Ross, directly above the pedals, under the keyboard, there is a latch. Tilt out the board & place a tall glass jar, ¾ full of water on the pedal ledge. (glass inhibits mold & bacteria, just saying) This will keep the interior wood comfy during the dry winter. Winter is when wood moves abruptly & strings can snap.
So handsome – it’s rare to see one unpainted, anymore. Only sustaine & corda pedals – maybe around 1890s ? – hey, who knows when into a 2nd glass of wine less than an hour before the new year?! 🙃
✨️Happy New Year, Ross.✨️
BTW the early Mason and Hamlin uprights had a slightly different system (screwstringer) than modern pianos so that tuning key tucked inside is extremely important. It fits THAT piano. Make sure it is put back every time the piano is tuned as it original.
That screwstringer tuner dates your piano between 1883 until around 1903.
Piano technicians seem to think the screwstringers are superior to the modern system as they can keep their tune for a lot longer and the Mason and Hamlin uprights are top quality pianos.
It is my opinion that in general the sound of antique pianos from this era are superior. Maybe it’s the wood, maybe the craftsmanship. My parent’s old upright grand probably dates from a century ago and the sound is fabulous. Not Mason and Hamlin and younger than yours but still better than the modern spinets.
https://finelytunedpianos.com/a-new-project-piano/
Oh, and one more thing. The cover should be down covering the keyboard except when played, for all sorts of protection.
If that piano is in good playable condition once tuned, it is easily worth several thousand dollars. Of course to you, it is priceless.
Hi Ross,
Mason & Hamlin pianos are well made, quality instruments. I won’t repeat any of the advice you’ve received regarding the piano. Obviously, some of your readers gave good knowledge on how to take care of pianos. This is a thoughtful, precious gift.
Brad
As a pianist, I can only echo what everyone else said. The Cross House is now the recipient of a very valuable instrument and piece of history, so proper piano care is critical.
It will need to be tuned every six months to stay in shape, maybe more if the strings are original. If they just cannot hold a proper tune anymore, I’m sure a bunch of us will contribute to the re-stringing, which will not be cheap.
If I ever make it up there, I would be so proud to play some 1890s/early 1900s tunes on it.
I love this! It looks great, although I echo concerns about the placement; it might fit nicely in the northeast corner of the parlor next to the library doors (granted, you might have to move or adjust Pete). Regardless, I think the piano is begging to have a framed photo of Mary sitting atop it!
Yes, Brian. That is where I plan to move it tomorrow. But what will I do with displaced Pete??????????
Perhaps Pete can migrate around the house, as you fix up more rooms. Eventually he will land in the perfect spot.
OMG. Some of these suggestions made me tear up! I grew up with this piano, first at Art & Virginia Gourlay’s (one of Mary’s sons), then in the two houses we lived in as the Lang family, then at Liz’s (my mom’s) home, then at Peter’s. I had unsuccessful piano lessons on it, and enjoyed hearing Liz play it on the rare occasions we could persuade her to play.
I also remember that for a long time, it was my job weekly to polish it and the other furniture in our dining room, so I know the feel of the legs and all its curves very very well!
What a great delight to meet you Karin! And thank you for the wonderful background stories.
Congratulations! The piano has made it full circle to return to where it started. Please take care of the piano. Your piano has been owned by the same family the whole time which makes it extra special.
Hi,Paul.
The piano was never before in the Cross House. Mary purchased it in Seattle. It’s her connection to the Cross House (where she once lived) that makes the piano so special.
I’m happy to see such a warm welcome for the piano!
Well, Scott, your family made it happen! BIG hug!
Just a quick note. Mason and Hamlin are of the same quality as Steinway. My old piano teacher much preferred her Mason to the Steinway at the school. Mason’s are Boston, Steinway’s are New York. She would often sniff at her “New York” piano, it being an upstart….
What a beautiful instrument, and a genuinely lovely connection to have made!
Regarding the finish of the piano. The family story is that Mary liked to keep up with the decorating trends of the day and so she had the piano darkened. Evidence of that is in the way the name Mason and Hamlin appears to be painted over.
What a wonderful gift for the Cross House. It’s incredibly sweet that this piano that has meant so much to the family that originated in the Cross House has come back. I love the background stories. I will be reading this blog posting over and over again.
That is so awesome! As a pianist, I’m thrilled with its new home!!! How generous of them!!!!
Ross: In case you’re interested, I found a really thorough article on Mason and Hamlin pianos. It’s in three parts, and it starts here: https://www.pianobuyer.com/post/an-insider-s-history-of-mason-hamlin-part-1-the-boston-years-1854-1932
I think the piano I played growing up was a Mason and Hamlin upright. It was a wonderful piano, with an unusual third pedal. When you depressed it, it added an extra note one octave above (for notes above middle C) or below (for notes below middle C). It was really cool. I hope the family that has it now is enjoying it as much as we did growing up.