John Landreth
inventor
patentee
Biography
John Landreth is cited by Spillane as evidence that the use of felt-like material in pianofortes was conceived earlier than commonly believed. In his British pianoforte patent of 1787, Landreth spoke of a 'woolly substance manufactured after the manner of a hat,' well before the generally assumed date of 1840 for the introduction of felt in piano hammers. John Landreth attempted to produce an upright piano in 1787 by altering the position of a grand piano and fitting it with a special action of his own devising. Spillane notes that, like similar contemporary attempts, his scheme proved a failure overall.
Highlights
- Attempted an upright piano in 1787 by altering the position of a grand and fitting it with a special action, but the scheme failed
- Described in 1787 a 'woolly substance manufactured after the manner of a hat' in his British pianoforte patent of that year, predating the common belief that felt was first considered around 1840
Source
Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 33, 328.
Public domain.