An early 20th Century Robino 44 note barrel piano, construct...

Hammer

£1,200

An early 20th Century Robino 44 note barrel piano, constructed by Simon Robino in Manchester and re-pinned by Milly and Colin Williams. In a polished black case with a part-glass upper front panel. With an 'A.O. Wintle' label to the lower front panel, and a printed tune sheet and description by Colin Williams to the side of the case. On a black and red painted cart that was not made for or purchased with the piano. The lot also includes an additional pinned barrel.

Built by Simon Robino in his Manchester factory, this was originally a tremolo street piano built to a patent owned by Robino and published in 1907, with a split bridge and two similar octaves in an attempt to combat the increasing noise of traffic on the streets. However, the mechanism was not robust and when the piano passed to Canon Wintle's Piano-Organ factory at Lawshall, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, the tremolo mechanism was removed but the split bridge was retained. This gives the piano a "banjo" sound and, as such, was called a banjo piano by the Canon.

Milly and Colin Williams bought what was by now a wreck from Denham in Suffolk in the early 1980's. They renovated the piano, arranged new tunes, and marked and pinned the barrel.

DIMENSIONS:

Piano:
Height 142cm
Depth 60cm
Width of case 96cm
Width with handles 108cm

Piano in cart:
Height 172cm
Width 76cm without wheels
Width with wheels 116cm
Length 237cm

SONGS:
1. Hello, Hello, Who's Your Lady Friend
2. Roses of Picardy
3. Katie
4. In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree
5. Now Is the Hour
6. I'm Henery the Eighth
7. April Showers
8. I Belong to Glasgow
9. Two Little Girls in Blue
10. Sweet Rosie O'Grady
new barrel.

Colin Williams Collection