Instrument Section C-251 to C-257, Maker - Keith, Prowse inc. Wm Prowse and Thomas Prowse
A good survey by Wes Williams of the Prowse family's various addresses and some
noted instruments is here: This
states:
"re: Keith, Prowse & Co.
- The lowest 'Prowse' in the Horniman is
No 1156, and the highest No.4842. It is interesting to note that 'Mr. W
Prowse', who ran the company from 1846 to
1865, purchased 16 concertinas from Wheatstone during 1851 (but none in 1852).
The Keith, Prowse and Vickers instrument above probably dates to before 1865,
and the Keith, Prowse and Co instruments (Nos. 1360 and 4842) after that. By
1888 they were selling rebadged Lachenals from 48 Cheapside.
A 'Thomas Prowse' English was offered for sale in Feb. 2001, but this is not connected. He operated from 13 Hanway St from 1835-60 and from 15 Hanway St. from 1860-68, and is listed as buying various instruments in early Wheatstone records ."
Here is a selection of information on some of the Prowse instruments in the Collection, many bearing labels mentioned above.
C.251 - William Prowse
No 13: -and-
C.252 - William
Prowse No 7 : -and-
D.252 -William Prowse No 48 :-
These three very early Prowse instruments have a wealth of original
features not found on later Keith, Prowse instruments: The label on No 13 bears the "City
Royal Musical Repository" title for the 48 Cheapside address, and all have tiny
fonts for all part stamps, inserted
ebony fillets as pan-cradle supports.
C.253 - Keith, Prowse No 1072:- A decorative model with 48 silver-capped keys, a "Keith, Prowse & Co"- and with 2-ply Rosewood ends, curliqued nickel inlays in mirror-image pairs. Gilt-embossed 5-fold green leather bellows with gilt floral patterned white papers. Keith, Prowse & Co-labelled rosewood-veneered hexagonal case.
C.255 - Thomas Prowse No 3207:- A simple 20-key anglo, with oval Thos Prowse label, and large T Prowse label in lid of case.
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Created December 2010 by Neil Wayne
Modified September 2011 by Wes Williams
This page created Wednesday 14 September 2011.
