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3.2 RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDAL SYSTEM

One of the at first glance most visibly disturbing changes lay in the alteration
of the original pedal system, in which, likely in the second half of the
nineteenth century, the original lyre was screwed to a new construction.
The original wooden pedals were replaced by pedals of brass and screwed
with a new mounting to the underside of the piano, where the traces of the
original lyre attachment were still visible (fig. 5).
Due to the fact that one leg was missing and two legs were damaged by
furniture beetle activity, the piano could not be placed on its feet. That,
however, was a prerequisite for the reconstruction of the pedal system, or
rather of the length of the activating wires. As the wood core of one leg was
crushed and broken away through insect holes, this had to be replaced with
new wood. The visible surfaces were closed through loss-free compensation
using old, already lacquered veneer, which proved advantageous as the

Fig. 5: Rebuilt pedal system

(2nd half

of the

19th century).
a. Original lyre on new pedal bar.
b. Traces of the original mounting of the lyre.

Fig. 6: Creating stability.
a. Leg damaged by furniture beetle activity.
b. Repair of the worm-damaged foot.
c. Veneer compensation with old veneer.

Ina Hoheisel and Alfons Huber

a b

a b c