Such almost unique reproducing instruments are our specialty. The combination of the American reproducing system AMPICO in an Austrian grand piano of the Bösendorfer brand is one such rare instrument. To our knowledge, Herbert Marshall in London had the exclusive rights to install the Ampico mechanism in European piano brands. In the 1920s, Marshall ordered 6 Bösendorfer grand pianos for installation of an Ampico system. This is probably one of these grand pianos.
The Bösendorfer-Ampico grand piano was complete and well preserved in its original state with normal signs of age and use. The Ampico mechanism no longer worked at all – and the acoustic grand piano had lost its beauty. As part of the renovation work, the case was French-polished black in shellac at the customer’s request. A magnificent instrument. Today the grand piano is in a wonderful private museum in the Czech Republic.
