Smith & Barnes again

[Silvercat151]

I am an ex-pat Brit in the USA and I just stumbled upon a Smith & Barnes upright at an auction house and fell in love with it. I found a serial number of 4389 and it is 62"H x 58"W x 27 deep at the deepest point. The decoration on the front is pretty but relatively simple compared to some that I have seen on the internet and, when the hinged lid to the keyboard is opened fully the large single panel front above the keyboard opens a few inches. I haven't seen that before in UK pianos and there are 3 pedals which I have not seem before in UK upright pianos either. The body is scuffed and needs attention but everything works fully apart from a pedal which needs attaching to a spring, and the overall sound isn't too bad given it's external state. Some person has written the notes in pencil on the keys which seems to rub off easily. The hinges are silver coloured, so not brass. Can you give me an idea of the date of this piano from the serial number? I am about to pay the person that bought the piano $100 for it - I think he paid about half that according to the auctioneer who was very helpful! I know asking for a valuation in this current condition is pointless but any ideas of the value if it was restored to it's former beauty? Thank you.

[Silvercat151]

I have just been to have another look at this piano and found it has two numbers. 4389 is stamped into the wood frame at the top and then there is 33820 on the stringboard. What does that mean?

[Bill Kibby]

It means that dating pianos by numbers is never as simple as people expect it to be! The longer number suggests 1901. Have a look at the Numbers page at www.PianoGen.org

[Silvercat151]

Thank you Bill. I used to live in Cambridge and Newmarket - say hi to East Anglia for me! I now live in sunny Wyoming.

The piano is now in my art gallery and I feel like I rescued it - the guy I bought it from thought it was 1940 (I could tell from the decoration that it was more likely Victorian). Already a coat of wood oil for the poor dry wood has made it look better, and I'm guessing it's mahogany or rosewood.

What is the difference between an upright parlour piano and an upright Grand?

[Bill Kibby]

There is a good ol' East Anglian term for it, but I won't put it on here. Most pianos marked "Upright Grand" are not upright grands at all, so there's not a jot of difference between an upright grand and an upright whatever grand. It's just a sales ploy.