G. Astor’s Workshop, No. 906.
England, London, the end of the 18th – early 19th centuries

“NEW PATENT / Geo. Astor & Co / № 79 / Cornhill London” — an inscription by golden paint on the nameplate;
“1906” — carved on the case (area of the lever raising the dampers);
“К…та…ер …(K…ta…er…)” — scratched on the sound board (area of the tuning pegs of the bass register)

1614×570×220
Wood, metal, bone, fabric, felt, leather

Early 20th century, arrived from an unknown source
Stock number: 1467/22

The key action is English, hoppered, with an intermediate lever. The damper mechanism is German-type, controlled by a hand lever. The case is mounted on a 4-legged underframe, veneered with mahogany. Attempts to eliminate pulling out of the pin block from the case were made with 3 steel clamp bolts (late restoration). An inlay of barred wood is embedded along the perimeter of the cover and the nameplate. There are draped inserts (cutout carving) at the ends of the nameplate. 68 keys should match 68 string choirs. There are 69 courses: the extra course is “connected” to the neighboring choir — the hammer of the g string of the two-line octave strikes simultaneously against two 2-string choirs tuned in unison.