Fortepiano

The pier-like bottom stands on two legs with herm decoration. The pedal action is covered with a framed lozenge, showing a wreathed head of a man in the middle. The three wooden pedals, from left to right, serve for forte, piano and "Verschiebung" (sliding). The inside of the folding top conceals the maker's mark in a copper frame, covered by glass: "Conrad Heubeck in Erlangen". The action of the "giraffe"-piano is a so-called hung Viennese type. The register is six octaves + major second: F1 - G4. The keys of the tones are covered with bone, while the keys of the semitones are made of black-stained maple-wood. The wooden stem of the hammer heads are covered with several layers of deerskin. Owing to the high and curved "neck" of the instrument, this type is called a " giraffe "-piano. Vertical hammer pianos usually have a rich decoration, and are thus organic parts of Empire-style furnishings.