“R. Rahtke” Factory, No. 4841.
Russia, St. Petersburg, around 1906

The State Emblem of the Russian Empire, a medal from the Exhibition in Nizhniy Novgorod in 1896 with the inscription: «ВСЕРОССIЙСКАЯ ПРОМЫШЛЕННАЯ И ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ / ВЫСТАВКА ВЪ НИЖНЕМЪ НОВГОРОДЕ / ЗОЛОТАЯ МЕДАЛЬ / [images of medals of the Exhibitions in 1883, 1875, 1896, 1897 with a note:] ВЫСШАЯ НАГРАДА НА ВСЕХЪ ВЫСТАВКАХЪ / Р. РАТКЕ / ПАРОВАЯ ФАБРИКА РОЯЛЕЙ И ПIАНИНО / С.-ПЕТЕРБУРГЪ / ФАБРИКА: ПЕТЕРБУРГСКАЯ СТОРОНА, БОЛЬШОЙ ПРОСПЕКТЪ, № 90 И ОРДИНАРНАЯ / УЛИЦА, № 3 А. / ПОХВАЛЬНЫЕ ОТЗЫВЫ ПIАНИСТОВЪ: РУБИНШТЕЙНЪ, ГОФМАНЪ, РЕЙЗЕНАУЭРЪ, / ГРЮНФЕЛЬДЪ, ПАБСТЪ, И ДР. ПIАНИСТОКЪ: МЕНТЕРЪ, БЕНУА, КРЕБСЪ, ТЕРМИН / СКАЯ И ДР. (All-Russian Industrial and Artistic Exhibition in Nizhniy Novgorod, golden medal, the highest award in all exhibitions, R. Rahtke, steam piano and grand piano factory, St. Petersburg, Factory: Petersburg Side, Bolshoy Prospekt, No. 90 and Ordinarnaya Street, No. 3 a., honourable mentions of pianists: Rubinstein, Hoffman, Reisenauer, Grünfeld, Pabst, and other pianistes: Menter, Benoit, Krebs, Terminskaya, etc.)” — a stamp by black dye on the sound board;
“R. RAHTKE.” — a cast inscription on the frame (area of the tuning pegs of the descant register);
“R. Rahtke / ST-PETERSBURG” — inlaid with brass in the lid;
“4841” — an inscription by black dye on the frame (area of the tuning pegs of the bass register);
“781” — embossed with a punch on the back side of the lid.

1580×1450×355
Wood, metal, bone, fabric, felt

2007, transferred from the Office of Administrative Affairs of the RF President
(property of Polovtsov’s weekend house)
Stock number: 608/2

The frame is cast iron. There are 2 pedals. The case is tinted black.