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The Cobbe Collection of Historic Keyboard Instruments

Includes the largest group of instruments owned or played by famous composers to be seen together anywhere in the world.

What is especially magical is that the collection is maintained in playing order to allow artists and audiences to experience the sounds that inspired composers. We are most grateful to the generous donors who have contributed to our Adopt an Instrument scheme.
We are especially grateful to The Chopin Society, London, for their generous undertaking to adopt Chopin’s piano for fifteen years and to The Elgar Society for their continuing adoption of Elgar’s piano.

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Keeping instruments in playing order is an expensive business. We feel that it is vital that The Cobbe Collection Trust continues with this ideal, support us and donate today.

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Adopt

Adopt an Instrument invites you to underwrite the maintenance and tuning of a particular instrument for one or more years.

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Donations for Annual Maintenance during 2023

  1. Virginals by Annibale or Ferrante Rossi c. 1580-90 - Adopted by Ms R. Bailey
  2. Zenti Harpsichord, 1622 £400
  3. Ruckers Harpsichord, 1636 - Mrs C. Rolls in memory of Rev’d. T. Rolls
  4. Virginals by John Player, 1664 - Adopted by Mr Peter Gillman
  5. Harpsichord by Ferdinand Weber, 1746 - Adopted by anonymous donor
  6. Spanish or Portuguese clavichord, c.1750-75 £400
  7. Snetzler Organ, 1759 £300
  8. Zumpe Piano, 1769 - Adopted by Miss A. Hennegan
  9. Piano by Ferdinand Weber, 1774 £350
  10. Zumpe/JC Bach Piano, 1777-78 - Adopted by Mr Christopher Goode
  11. Spinet by Ferdinand Weber, 1780 - Adopted by an anonymous donor
  12. Harpsichord by Jacob & Abraham Kirkman, London, 1781 £450
  13. Deception Pier Table Piano Forte, c.1782-85 - Adopted by Kingston and District Chamber Music Society
  14. Hoffmann Clavichord, 1784 - Adopted by Mr Christoper Gold
  15. Marie Antoinette’s Piano, c.1786 £550
  16. Square Pianoforte by Longman & Broderip, c. 1789 - Adopted by Ms R. Bailey
  17. Grand piano by ‘pupil’ of Stein, c.1795 £500
  18. Hancock Piano, ‘Warranted by Mr Dibdin’, c.1790 - by Mrs P. Grayburn
  19. Southwell Square Piano, c. 1793-94 £400
  20. Piano by John Bland, 1794 £350
  21. Haydn’s Longman&Broderip piano, c.1794-5 - Adopted by Mrs S. Pursley
  22. Square Pianoforte John Broadwood & Sons, London, 1795 £250
  23. Anton Walter Piano, 1815 - Adopted by Mr Christopher Harman
  24. Broadwood Piano signed by Cramer, 1816 - Adopted by Dr A. Gunning
  25. Grand Piano by Conrad Graf, Vienna, c. 1819-20 £500
  26. Nanette Streicher grand piano, 1823 £450
  27. Mahler’s Piano, 1836 £350
  28. Jane Stirling’s Erard piano, 1843 - Adopted by Lady Lipworth
  29. Elgar’s Broadwood piano, 1844 - Adopted by the Elgar Society
  30. Erard piano, signed by Thalberg, 1845 £450
  31. Broadwood, 1847, played by Chopin - Adopted by Lady Lipworth
  32. Chopin’s Pleyel piano, 1848 - Adopted by the Chopin Society
  33. Bizet’s composing table piano, 1855 - Adopted by Mr Peter Brown
  34. Steinway Grand Piano, 1864 £700
  35. Grand Piano J. Becker, c.1886-7 £650

If you should decide to take part in this scheme, your adopted instrument will be displayed to the public with a notice stating that you have supported its maintenance and you will receive a complimentary pair of tickets to a concert of your choice (subject to availability).
Your name will appear as the adopter of the instrument in the succeeding published list of concerts and in the programme of any concert in which it is used.