Carved panel from the Cincinnati Organ
Late 19th century; Cincinnati Music Hall, OH
This object is one panel from the organ screen of the Hook and Hastings Pipe Organ installed in 1878, at the Cincinnati Music Hall, in Cincinnati, OH. The panels were designed and carved by William Fry, Henry Fry, Ben Pittman, and their students, many of whom were women. Please read the book, Cincinnati Art-Carved Furniture and Interiors, for more information on this period. An image of the original organ screen is included in the below gallery. The treatment protocol for this project was based on the significant amount of primary source material describing the original appearance of the panels. Archival resins and mineral powders were used to give the restored panels an original appearance.
The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) assisted in funding many aspects of the restoration of the decorative arts elements within Music Hall, which has recently undergone a significant restoration, re-opening to the public in October 2017. A page will be added to this site under Architectural Projects to document the larger panel project. Twenty-eight restored Panels are now on display in the Taft Suite. However, the restored panels represent only part of the original organ screen. SPMH is actively seeking to acquire missing panels. The Taft Suite is normally not open to the public unless you take a guided tour. Articles about the organ and panels have been published in the SPMH Music Hall Marks newsletter. For more information, visit the website of The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall.
Riverside Architectural Millwork, in Cincinnati Ohio, installed the panels and fabricated trim mouldings to unify the display.
