A CHICKERING & SONS VICTORIAN PARLOR GRAND PIANO IN RED MAHOGANY WITH BENCH, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, LATE 19TH CENTURY, with pierce carved music rack, a folding and lifting lid, marked inside cabinet "Chickering & Sons" beneath Imperial Cross of the Legion of Honor, marked to underside of key cover "Chickering / Boston / U.S.A." with original keys, on thick tapering turned and lobed legs with brass casters, restorations. Height: 38 5/8" Width: 61 1/2" Depth: 75 3/4" NOTE: Jonas Chickering lived in the Boston area and was apprenticed to Benjamin Crehore around 1815 to learn instrument making. It was here that he developed his skills as a piano builder. After working for another builder and acquiring experience he began his own business in Boston in 1823. From the very first Chickering's pianos were of superb quality and design and coupled with a partner who was good at marketing his pianos became known throughout all of North and South America. In 1843 he incorporated his concept for a cast iron frame in a concert grand piano, and an improved version of this piano received unparalleled praise at the first International Exposition held in 1851 at the Crystal Palace, London, winning the top awards. In 1852 Jonas made his three sons Thomas, Frank, and George partners in the firm. In 1867 following the great Paris Exposition of 1867 Frank Chickering had the Imperial Cross of the Legion of Honour, then one of the world's most prestigious non-military awards, bestowed upon him by Emperor Napoleon III for services to the art of music. The Chickering pianos built up until around the Second World War are considered to be second to none and some of the concert grands built around the period of the late 1800's to around 1925 have some of the most powerful and rich sounds possible, especially in the bass.