An exceptional collection of historical musical instruments will be auctioned on 18th March 2023. Amongst the lots are 29 pianos ranging in date from 1760 to 1860.
The collection belonged to Prof. Dr. Rudolf Ewerhart who died in 2022 at the age of 94. Prof. Ewerhart was a musician, a conductor, a musicologist and a collector of musical instruments.
His speciality was Early Music and he was highly influential in the world of ecclesiastical music. In 2020 he received the Papal Order of Gregory in recognition of his life’s work
Prof. Ewerhart lived in Burghaus Wassenach near Lake Laacher, south of Bonn, Germany. Here, in this renovated manor house, he built up possibly the most important private collection of historical musical instruments in Germany. He was known to regularly tour Europe towing a trailer behind his car, in search of more items for his collection.
Following his death, the family decided that his instruments should be sold and find new homes where they can be valued and cared for.
Auction Details
- Auctioneers: Gallery Moenius AG
- Sale Date: 18th March 2023 from 13.00.
- Location: Burghaus Wassenach, Kirchstrasse 1, 56653 Wassenach, Germany
- Viewing: 11-17th March 2023, 10.00-17.00. 18. March 2023 10.00-13.00, and by telephone appointment.
- Phone: +49 157 826 461 46.
- Online Catalogue: <link>
The sale comprises 318 lots. Roughly half of these are musical instruments and related accessories. As well as pianos, the sale includes most other types of keyboard (harpsichords, clavichords, virginals, organs, etc) and examples of many other historical musical instruments — both western and ethnic. Many of the lots feature accessories, spare parts, and tools.
The sale also includes artworks, drawings and antiques — and the very last lot (Lot 318) comprises 220 bottles of wine (starting price just €200!)
The Pianos Being Auctioned
The following is a list of the pianos that are being sold (click image to expand). Detailed information on each instrument can be found in the online catalogue.
Lot 32: Square piano by Érard Brothers, Paris, 1821.
Starting price €400.
Lot 34: Fortepiano by Johan George Groeber, Innsbruck, c1815.
Starting price €7000.
Lot 35: Square piano by Muzio Clementi, London, c1810.
Starting price €500.
Lot 38: Viennese Fortepiano, signature lost, c1825-1830.
Starting price €1500.
Lot 41: Lyre piano by Johann Christian Schleip, Berlin, c1840-1845.
Starting price €2000.
Lot 44: Small square piano by Johannes Kilianus Mercken, Paris,1797.
Starting price €1500.
Lot 46: Fortepiano signed “C. Graf”, probably Vienna, 1820-1830.
Starting price €2,000.
Lot 48: Unsigned German square piano, c1760-1780.
Starting price €800.
Lot 49: Lyre piano signed “F.A.Klein”, Berlin c1830-1835.
Starting price €3000.
Lot 51: Square piano by Casper Katholnig, Vienna c1815.
Starting price €100.
Lot 52: German square piano by Johann Matthias Schifmann, Dusemond (Brauneberg), c1780-1790.
Starting price €1800.
Lot 53: Unsigned small square pantalon (piano with no dampers), possibly northern Italy, c1770-1780.
Starting price €2200.
Lot 54: Pianino by Thomas Warker, Trier, c1845.
Starting price €10.
Lot 90: Upright piano (Wallclimber) by John Broadwood & Sons, London, 1852.
Starting price €300.
Lot 91: Fortepiano by Franz Rausch, Vienna, c1840. Starting price €200.
Lot 93: Unsigned German square piano, c1780-1800. Starting price €1800.
Lot 94: Fortepiano by Johann Heilmann of Offenbach, c1805.
Starting price €7000.
Lot 95: Unsigned “dog kennel” piano, probably southern Germany or Switzerland, c1840-1850.
Starting price €50.
Lot 97: Square piano by Johannes Broadwood, London, 1787.
Starting price €1500.
Lot 98: Fortepiano by Johann Georg Klein, Ockstadt near Frankfurt, c1810.
Starting price €6000.
Lot 101: Pianino by Johann Eichler, Oberweiler im Thal, Rhineland-Palatinate, c1860.
Starting price €10.
Lot 102: English square piano signed Guliemus Glover, London, 1776.
Starting price €1500.
Lot 103: Square piano by Johann Müller, Berlin, c1830.
Starting price €100.
Lot 104: Fortepiano with built-in Physharmonica (small harmonium with no stops) by Anton Tomaschek, Vienna, c1840.
Starting price €4400.
Lot 105: French style square piano by Brooks, Benfeld (Alsace), 1842.
Starting price €50.
Lot 109: Unsigned square piano from Saxony or Switzerland, c1800.
Starting price €1200.
Lot 110: Fortepiano (downstriking) attributed to Nanette Streicher, Vienna, c1827.
Starting price €7000.
Lot 112: Fortepiano by Johann Baptist Streicher, Vienna, c1850.
Starting price €900.
Lot 113: Unsigned French square piano, c1810.
Starting price €50.
Please check with the auctioneers for full details prior to bidding.
World Piano News cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the above details.
Wow, how beautiful these pianos are…