Eavestaff Minipiano

[geoffoeg]

I have an Eavestaff Pianette Minipiano supplied by Herbert Ellis, Chester. It has 43 white notes and 30 black. There are tuning "buttons" under a fold-down flap beneath the keyboard. It has patent numbers listed as 377641, 23651/34 and 553199. There is a number on the back 3019 - is this the serial number? I would welcome any thoughts on age and value. Thank you.

[Barrie Heaton]

The serial number will be where the tuning pins are
see

http://www.uk-piano.org/history/eavestaff.html

as to value priceless to some others will ask for £100.00 to take it away.


Barrie

[Gill the Piano]

The patent number ending in /34 implies it's about 1934 or not long after. They kept patenting new 'improvements' to the minipianos fairly constantly. But I still charge a bit extra when I tune them to put towards the osteopath appointment afterwards!

[maryv]

Hi everybody, Im from Buenos Aires Argentina and recently purchased an eavestaff; fell in love with this piano for its compact size, sound and cozy feeling, which all made it perfect for my medium sized apt. But when i tried to find more about this little jewel, theres little i could get; .I wanted to know if you could help me in dating it: Eavestaff upright piano: measures 1.07 m height, o.50 cm width and 1.37 length. I have seen the serial number stamped on the wood board inside which reads: 153505 and also stamped on the metal arp: Patents nr :486037 / 377641 and the first series of numbers following the words Patents nr.. which i am not able to see clearly. Also on the metal stamped: British made.
Here in Argentina, i dont know where someone would give me proper information about this brand!, so i thought maybe you could help me, if thats not a problem.
The wood is mahogany ( i believe). and when you lift the lid it reads : Eavestaff London est. 1823.. Also it has a retractable lectern that goes inside the piano structure when youre not using the music sheets.
It has two bronze pedals and im not sure if the keyboard is ivory or not...it has 85 notes and crossed cords ( dont really know how you say it in english)
I would be extremely grateful for any information about this piano,
Kind regards,

[Bill Kibby]

I have already answered this by email.

[maryv]

Excuse me Bill, but your email hasnt arrived.
Thank you.

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, I'm sorry that yours was one of many emails we receive where the return address is faulty, and we have no way of correcting this. The number suggests a date around 1952, and "crossed cords" is the English translation of the French term for "overstrung". Overstringing, 85 notes and brass pedals are all normal, and don't help us to know any more. Eavestaff made a number of different models, and no original archive information is available to trace individual pianos.