Piano 5

It took a couple of months but we now have the fifth piano of our series, snapped in the Oak Room at the Royal Lion Hotel in Lyme Regis. A piano which is played during big dinners and which we have now heard on two occasions.

On the first occasion, the pianist assured us that there was a real piano inside the box, but he also told us that he had seen a double piano, big glossy white affairs with young lady drivers, in bar in Las Vegas, where the insides were indeed electrical. Perhaps little more than the guts of two electric keyboards inside a fancy box. So our question was not that fanciful.

On this occasion, we got the snap of the maker's mark, one which I have not come across before. But Bing knows all about them and Wikipedia tells me that Zimmermann left Steinway in New York to found his own company, going on to sell around 400,000 pianos. Now part of the Bechstein empire, once again healthy after troubled first and second wars. Troubles which included the Wigmore Hall becoming what it now is and being big supporters of the Nazis. But I can't think when I last saw a Bechstein piano.

From reference 2 we have: 'Zimmermann pianos made prior to 1940 are of good quality and restore very well. Later baby grands and uprights tend to be of lower to medium quality, the common baby grands often having a heavy and uneven action. However as of 1992, they have been taken over by Bechstein, who produce a fine piano with the Zimmermann name' - but having taken drink when I last heard this one, I would not like to comment, beyond saying that I think it is what one calls a baby grand.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2018/12/piano-4.html.

Reference 2: https://www.robertspianos.com/cdetails.php?ID=94&Make=Zimmermann-Pianos.