Kohler & Campbell Walnut Console Piano & Bench, 88-Key, c. 1960s

Kohler & Campbell established itself in New York in 1896 and spent the first half of the twentieth century building a reputation as one of America's most respected mid-market piano makers — a company serious enough that professional tuners and technicians still stock parts for their instruments today. Serial number 657401 places this piano's manufacture in the mid-to-late 1960s, a period when K&C was producing instruments in their Granite Falls, North Carolina plant under the direction of the American Piano Corporation. The action carries the factory label reading "Kohler Custom Action — Moth Proofed — Tropicalized," a designation used on instruments treated for humidity-resistant service — relevant to any buyer in the Chihuahuan Desert climate zone. The soundboard label confirms a Spruce Permatone construction with permanent crown, marketed by the factory as a lifetime guarantee against cracking and warping. The cast iron plate is stamped "K&C Ten Year Guarantee" alongside the serial number.

The walnut cabinet is a clean-lined mid-century console profile — bookmatched grain across the upper and lower front panels framed by recessed line inlay, squared tapered legs with spade feet, and brass-finish recessed pulls flanking the keyboard rail. The fall board carries the Kohler & Campbell name in gilt Old English script. Three brass foot pedals (soft, sostenuto, sustain) sit low on the cabinet; the piano rides on hidden castors for repositioning. The matching bench is finished in coordinating walnut on the same tapered spade-foot legs, with a hinged seat that lifts to a shallow sheet-music storage compartment. The console format — at 57" wide and 41½" tall — delivers a full 88-key instrument in a footprint that fits rooms where a full upright or studio piano would overwhelm the space. For a buyer wanting a playable, complete American-made instrument with period cabinet appeal, this is a well-documented example of what K&C produced at the height of their domestic manufacturing.

CONDITION

Good overall. All 88 keys play. The cabinet shows a 1" chip to the wood veneer at the front and scattered additional chips to the veneer throughout, consistent with residential use over several decades; light surface scratching to the top surface is also present. The bench is sturdy. Tuning and tonal condition were not assessed — piano tuning is standard practice following any move and should be budgeted accordingly.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Piano Overall: 41½" H × 57" W × 25" D
• Bench: 18" H × 34" W × 13" D
• Bench Storage Compartment: 2" H × 31" W × 10½" D
• Keys: 52 white / 36 black (88 total)
• Pedals: Three, brass finish (soft, sostenuto, sustain)
• Cabinet: Walnut veneer, bookmatched panels, recessed line inlay
• Soundboard: Spruce Permatone (lifetime crown/crack/warp guarantee label present)
• Action Label: Kohler Custom Action — Moth Proofed — Tropicalized
• Plate Casting: K&C Ten Year Guarantee
• Maker: Kohler & Campbell, Inc., est. 1896
• Serial No.: 657401 (production c. mid-to-late 1960s, Granite Falls, NC plant)
• Castors: Present (hidden, rear)
• Total Pieces: 2 (piano + matching bench)