New-York tribune., 1901-08-04

son that you desire to know all the particulars
concerning the piano constructed by BartOlOmeo
de CristOfors. which you purchased from me.
and more particularly how said piano came into
my family. IN accord Ince with this desire
send you the following statement:
This piano BOUGHT by my maternal
grandfather Dr. Fabio Mocenni. years ago. when
nv mother was about five years old My
mother was born in 1914. and her father must
have acquired the piano between 1919 and 1920.
1t remained always in my grandfather's house
Lrtn his daughter married my father Ghe en-
cineer Charles Masteill. Then she brought
the piano into my family and always preserved
il, not because Of its great value. she knew
nothing of it until very lately. but in memory
of her dead father, and because on that piano,
when still child she learned the first rudircelts
of music. Ny mother. by family tradition knew
that this pano ha3 been purchased By her
father at public sale which took place IN the
Grand Duca; Palace, in Siena. By order of he
Minister of the Household, of all sucn things As
h. considered worthless and cf 70 use. TIE
discovery tAat :tl' ria"c IS ser. valuable IS
as fellows:
For he sake oi economy during the time that
Florence vas the capital Of Italy, We rented the
firs- EoCr % OUr hCCse. No, :. Via del Melaran-
clio. and occupied che second floor. In 1S12 Mrs.
MasteIH (my m9t@cT) again changed her apart
meats from the second % the srst Aocr ana at
the moment ne t-G1sfer Of cur furniture was
taking r,;Gce srcrn ONE aeor % the other Pro-
fessOr COsiTO Cont. q scholar and an intimate
friend of ours. came 10 visit US. The professor
in close correspondence with Cava.;cre L.
PUliti. who was spending q gre2t deal OF his
time in trying 70 discover he o"gn of the piano
and discovering on It. to his greet surprise. an
inscription which attesteG that Il had been made
by BartC!oFneO Ge CrlstOforis. he im1nr iiateIy
informed his friend Cava,.ere l.. P,i,i Of this
fact, and he came at once 20 eX&Tiu- it. Then
il was ascertaired that it was Ona cr the rarest
and most valuable pianos in existence. We at
once sent for tuner and had e put in good
condition. ard the most DISTINGUISHED pianists
of Italy have since played on i--
CavaIiere l. Pui,i published a book on the
life of F'erdinand1 de M-3ici. Grand Duke of
Tuscany. and IN IL he tyeated of the origin ef
the piano. IN this learned book, g. pace -.I he
mentions the piano N possession Of my mother
airs. Nast-llD. Which is now Your property
In 1876 Mr.. Crsarc PonsIccki uutHshed also a
work entitled The Piano. Us origin and Erolu-
ton" IN his monograph. Sir Ponsic. hi at
pages ~ and =. speaks ar length If this piano
and illustrates it az JAe end Of The volume
l believe that the above information Wiu s1t-
isfy your legitimate curiosity. ana by indicating
70 You the above puhlishr'! works. % Vh..a T'u
may refer for more detailed information. hav"
complied with Your wishes In The matter r--
main very truly. DIEGO MASTELLL
only SON ana heir of Eru-sJa Nocenui Wii.y
Mastel!i.
The rianoforte bears on its hammer beam two
Inscriptions as follows: ~Earthoiomseu- ai chr.--
tophoris Patavimus Inventor. ftc.-a45 F.,r.r-
ti,e MDCCNX' and "H-ssau~sre rarn. I~71
Cesare Ponsicchi FIrenz--' ~t .. tb. in
strument which preserves the -e.I.- ~ J.- ..I-
fashioned harpsichorIs is s-,.~ ...t -..-u and
one quarter inches Ions; ta.-- feet and -lr-e
inches wide and thr,e cr-- h.-a /, has COM
pass If four and Eali octa,-- Glts--our notes.
frotu The q tn second Irl1. lime below the
bass staff u The = the fourth .ei-r space
above the treble STAFF. KS longest --riu- *
feet aud two inches It's shortest tNa inches Us
thi,kr-t strins is sevrE t@Eths os ru..lu.tr
thick. .,- thinnest f2ur-trnths. There are only
thr,- thicknesses and rhe strings Of the lowest
six les arr uniform in length and thickness.
IT, variation il pitch being occaSioued by variI-
ti'a in tension The frame is Il hardwood. aad
rG.. rF,, f.. ..r,T, E,r