Restoration of historic pianos
French pianos
French piano specialist
We specialize in the restoration of historic French instruments: Pleyel, Erard and Gaveau.
This restoration work on historic pianos is carried out exclusively with original parts or parts made from the piano’s original model (strings, pegs, fittings, etc.).
Our team has all the skills needed to restore your piano to its original shine, both acoustically and aesthetically (soundboard shimming, gilding of the frame, whitening and polishing of the ivories, etc.).
To achieve this, we use ancient techniques and reproduce the gestures of our master craftsmen.
Examples of piano restoration
Erard Concert Piano from 1875
Complete restoration of an Erard concert piano from 1875.
Today, this piano is available for rental and is much appreciated by pianists wishing to perform contemporary music on the piano, such as Camille Saint Saëns, Gabriel Fauré, Johannes Brahms, César Franck, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, etc.
This historic Erard is also popular on movie sets. You can see and hear it in the film Eiffel by Martin Bourboulon with Romain Duris and Emma Mackey.
Giraffe piano C. Muller 1824
Complete restoration of a C. Muller giraffe piano. Muller giraffe piano from 1824.
The giraffe piano we restored at the workshop is a C. Muller piano from 1824. This means there are two strings per note, and the hammers are covered in leather, resulting in a softer sound than the English manufacture.
This giraffe piano was completely dismantled, stripped bare, cleaned, restored piece by piece and reassembled. It was then returned to its owner, an avid collector of musical instruments.
Ignace Pleyel square piano from 1834
Complete restoration of an 1834 Ignace Pleyel square piano for Belgian musicians.
Many of the missing or broken parts have been restored in our workshop, using the materials of the period (beech, spruce), so that this piano can regain its original brilliance and sound, much to the delight of its owners.
Pneumatic piano specialist
Pneumatic pianos are instruments that play themselves via a roll of perforated paper. Most date from 1880 to 1930.
Lots of patience and skill
These instruments are disappearing due to lack of use or maintenance. With a wealth of experience and very specific skills, we restore these very special systems (Duo art, Heolian, Pleyela, …) in our workshop. This specialization in pneumatic pianos requires many hours of work and research into the history and manufacture of each piano.
Tailor-made expertise
Restoration can be thorough, with relining of all bellows, exchange boxes, piping, etc., or a simple adjustment if the materials have not become too dry or damaged.
In-depth expertise is required for each of these restorations, as these instruments are rare.
