Cremona Two-Piece Piano Plate

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

A typical two-piece Cremona piano plate, regilded but before lettering and scrollwork was applied. The separate upper part of the plate is the portion above the tuning pin areas, and includes the flowery ornament between the bass and treble strings. The upper treble has an extra vertical bar, or “strut,” cast into the main part of the plate, dividing the strings into four sections instead of the three found in many other brands. This extra strut helps to support the pinblock against the 20 tons of string tension because the top portion of the plate is not as strong as in a piano with a one-piece plate.

The plate shown here is from a Cremona with a Marquette serial number. The plate in Smith, Barnes and Strohber pianos is somewhat different, often with the wording “New Scale” cast near the top without any brand name. Certain features are similar, including the two-piece structure and the mid-treble strut.