Music is an important part of being human and seems to be universal as some form of music is found in all cultures. Drums, rattles, and flutes seem to be the oldest musical instruments. Over the millennia, humans have invented numerous musical instruments, including the piano.
Pianos are not a particularly ancient musical instrument, but date back to the early 1700s when the softly dampened hammers of the piano began to replace the pluckier, tinnier sound of the harpsichord. The first piano was produced by Italian harpsichord maker Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori in 1709.
In 1780, Johann Schmidt in Salzburg, Austria produced the first upright pianos. In the United States, John Isaac Hawkins introduced an upright piano in 1800, but it soon gained a poor reputation for both sound quality and engineering.
By 1811, several European manufacturers were producing upright pianos. Those produced by Robert Wornum became popular because of its improved sound quality.
Upright pianos, invented by Robert Wornum in London in 1826, are generally found in homes, churches, schools, and taverns. By 1880, the upright piano had completely replaced the square piano. Demand for the upright piano increased with urbanization and smaller living spaces.
Shown below are some upright pianos displayed in various museums.
Lake Chelan Historical Society Museum, Chelan, Washington
Campbell House, Spokane, Washington
Franklin County Historical Society and Museum, Pasco, Washington
The piano shown above dates to the early 1900s.
East Benton County Historical Society and Museum, Kennewick, Washington
Swan River Tavern, Swan Valley Historical Museum, Condon, Montana
Deschutes Historical Museum, Bend, Oregon
Museums 201/301
This series compares similar exhibits from several museums. More from this series:
Museums 201: Washing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Quilts (photo diary)
Museums 201: The blacksmith shop (photo diary)
Museums 201: Antique farming equipment (photo diary)
Museums 301: Sewing machines (photo diary)
Museums 301: Schools (photo diary)
Museums 301: Typewriters (photo diary)
Museums 301: Kitchens (photo diary)