Marco Tiella G.F. Sievers and mid 19th-century Pianoforte Technology
In 1868 in Naples was published the book "Il pianoforte - Guida pratica per Costruttori, Accordatori, Dilettanti e Possessori di Pianoforti con 300 disegni parte intercalati nel testo e parte in apposito atlante di Giacomo Ferd. Sievers fabbricante di pianoforti in Napoli - Napoli Stabilimento tipografico Ghio in Santa Teresa agli Studi - 1868" [The Pianoforte - Guide for Makers, Tuners, Amateurs and Owners of Pianofortes with 300 drawings, partially inserted in the text and partially in an atlas by Giacomo Ferdinando Sievers Pianoforte-Maker in Naples - Naples, Ghio, S.Teresa agli Studi - 1868].
Sievers, of Russian origin, working there at least from about 1840 and won medals (London, Florence, Naples), prizes (Brevetto di privativa 1840 [Patent]) or Privative [Patents] in 1840, 1850, 1859, 1861, 1862 (Italy, France). In fact, the book of 250 pages, which contains 8 tables with the drawings of 151 tools, is completed by an atlas with 15 tables and more than 100 drawings beautifully engraved concerning technical illustrations of pianoforte mechanics, described by Sievers in the book, among which there are those of Streicher, Rohden, Sievers, Pleyel, Pleyel Wolf, Krigelstein, Steinway, Erard, H. Herz, Brinsmead, Hornung-Moeller, Keim & Günther, Wankel & Temler, Stöcher, Eisenmenger, Pape (father), Alison & Son.
The book also contains a lot of interesting and even unexpected information about the technological processes known or used by Sievers (woods, timbering, tools, felts, skins, varnishes, glues, stains, pianoforte design for cases and mechanics of grands, square and upright; instrument care; addresses of furnishers; report on the Exposition Universelle of Paris, 1867; most of which are summarized and discussed in the paper.