seeking Drake Kapphan info

[Becka Leyon]

Hi folks,

I've been searching for *any* information on Drake Kapphan pianos.
The only relevant search result I got was a post to this group way
back in 1999, which had no replies, so I guess that's indicative of
the dearth of knowledge on the subject...? I recently acquired a ~100
year old Drake Kapphan baby grand (4'10"), and the insides were made
by W.W. Kimball. The serial number is 124454. I am the 3rd owner of
the piano, which came by way of a friend from a local antique dealer.
It's an elegantly carved piano, maybe walnut, and the Kimball guts
are...ok. Luckily I'm very good friends with a local piano
technician. :)

In any case, I'll throw in the line again: does anyone out there have
any information on the Drake Kapphan line of pianos, made in
Pittsburgh PA around 1900? Or could perhaps point me toward more
fruitful research avenues?

I am not a regular reader of r.m.m.p., but I'll check the postings in
the next few weeks. Otherwise, please reply off-list if you have any
information to share. Thanks in advance!

cheers,
Becka Leyon
Carlisle PA
leyonb at dickinson dot edu

[John Inzer]

Post by Becka Leyon
Hi folks,
I've been searching for *any* information on Drake
Kapphan pianos. The only relevant search result I got was
a post to this group way back in 1999, which had no
replies, so I guess that's indicative of the dearth of
knowledge on the subject...? I recently acquired a ~100
year old Drake Kapphan baby grand (4'10"), and the
insides were made by W.W. Kimball. The serial number is
124454. I am the 3rd owner of the piano, which came by
way of a friend from a local antique dealer. It's an
elegantly carved piano, maybe walnut, and the Kimball
guts are...ok. Luckily I'm very good friends with a
local piano technician. :)
In any case, I'll throw in the line again: does anyone
out there have any information on the Drake Kapphan line
of pianos, made in Pittsburgh PA around 1900? Or could
perhaps point me toward more fruitful research avenues?
I am not a regular reader of r.m.m.p., but I'll check the
postings in the next few weeks. Otherwise, please reply
off-list if you have any information to share. Thanks in
advance!
cheers,
Becka Leyon
Carlisle PA
leyonb at dickinson dot edu

...

=====================================
The name...Drake Kapphan...is listed in Pierce
Piano Atlas but there are no serial numbers or
other information included.

If you have found the name of W.W.Kimball inside
of the piano it is most likely that Drake Kapphan
was a retailer and the piano was built by Kimball
for them. (This was and still is a common practice.)

If the piano is...in fact...a Kimball, the serial number
of 124454 places the date of manufacture in 1904.