Upright piano by Wilhelm Wieck

This piano was built by the cousin of Clara Schumann, Wilhelm Wieck (1828–1874). Step by step square pianos had been replaced by upright pianos, but not until the first half of the 19th century. Whereas a grand piano action just relies on gravity, meaning the hammers easily fall back and reset involving a damper system, upright pianos need actions with additional lever arms and springs. The grand piano shown at the Robert Schumann House is the only verifiable instrument by Wilhelm Wieck using this construction. It probably dates from the early 1870s and could be restored through a donation by Toshiba Corporation.