TidesNet—Online Collections Entry Detail

DescriptionA grand piano made by the Chickering and Sons piano company of Boston, Massachusetts in 1868. The piano serial number is: 32980. For many years, the piano was owned by Benjamin Whelpley, a pianist and composer of piano music, who was born in Eastport, Maine in 1864 and who had a long career in Boston. Whelpley maintained the family home, an impressive historic greek revival house, in Eastport where the piano long resided. Dennis Hooper, of Saint John, New Brunswick, recently related some of the story of Whelpley and the Chickering piano as Hooper used to spend weekends during the summer months in the Whelpley house in Eastport while Whelpley was still alive. According the Hooper, Benjamin Whelpley lived at the house when he was not performing elsewhere. The Chickering grand piano was given to Whelpley by the Chickering Piano company. The piano is hand carved and made of rosewood and copper strung. Benjamin Whelpley took the piano everywhere where he was performing. When he was at Eastport, Whelpley would give concerts at the house on Sundays and many people, including President Franklin Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt when they were at their summer cottage on nearby Campobello Island, New Brunswick, would come to hear the concerts. Whelpley died in 1946 and the piano remained in the house until 2007 when new owners of the house donated it to the Tides Institute. The piano remains in relative good shape and the Tides Institute hopes to have it restored and played again. Photo Caption: Grand piano made by the Chickering and Sons piano company of Boston, Massachusetts in 1868. For many years, the piano was owned by Benjamin Whelpley, a pianist and composer of piano music, who was born in Eastport, Maine in 1864 and who had a long career in Boston. Classification: Musical instruments Circa: 1868 Old Accession Number: 3009 Description: 1869 Chickering Grand Piano, Boston, Massachusetts. From Norwood House, 15 Key Street, Eastport. Gift of Christopher and Janet Palumbo, 15 Key Street, Eastport, Maine in 2007. Piano originally belonged to composer, Benjamin Whelpley, who once owned the Norwood House, 15 Key Street, Eastport, Maine. Piano serial number is: 32980. The piano was built in about 1868. Age dated using this website: http://www.total-piano-care.com/chickering-and-sons.html.