Virgil Practice Clavier
date: label: date made
content: 1896
name: label: maker
content: Virgil, Almon K.
notes: label: Description
content: <p>This practice clavier was made by Almon Kincaid Virgil in New York, around 1896. It is a small rectangular-shaped piano, serial number 3614, with a compass of AA-c4. The piano has a folding stand attached to the bottom that can be collapsed for storage. Practice pianos such as this were popular for their ability to weight the keys, forcing the pianist to press them harder and in doing so building up finger strength and enforcing muscle memory. The following is stenciled on the front of the piano [The date of 1888 is incorrect and should be 1886]:</p>
label: Description
content: <p>DO NOT USE THE UP CLICKS<br>BEYOND 5 OUNCES.</p>
label: Description
content: <p>PATENTED JUNE 29, 1888 [should be 1886]<br>” “ OCT. 23, 1888<br>” “ JULY 19, 1892</p>
label: Description
content: <p>VIRGIL<br>PERFECTED<br>Practice Clavier<br>NEW YORK</p>
label: Description
content: <p>This practice clavier features the following patents:</p>
label: Description
content: <p>U.S. Patent #344462, dated June 29, 1886, by Almon K. Virgil for an exercising device for musicians.</p>
label: Description
content: <p>U.S. Patent #344464, dated June 29, 1886, by Almon K. Virgil for an exercising keyboard for musicians.</p>
label: Description
content: <p>U.S. Patent #391439, dated October 23, 1888, by Almon K. Virgil for an exercising keyboard for musicians.</p>
label: Description
content: <p>U.S. Patent #479340, dated July 19, 1892, by Almon K. Virgil for an exercising keyboard for musicians.</p>
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Music & Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Pianos
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1983.0485.01
label: accession number
content: 1983.0485
label: catalog number
content: 1983.0485.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: piano
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ivory (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ebony (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: in box: 13 in x 42 in x 18 1/2 in; 33.02 cm x 106.68 cm x 46.99 cm