Newsome Bros Piano

[coppilowbarn]

Hi for many years we have had a piano which we bought on moving to our house 55 years ago. I cant find any info on the web. On the lid it has: Newsome Bros with gold medals for 1898 and 1899, and a label which states "Specially made for Wm. H. Russell, Leicester. The serial number is 12574. Any help would be much appreciated to direct me in the right direction on its history.

Regards, Ian

[Bill Kibby]

The medals suggest that the piano was made after 1899, can you read any other information on them? Russell first appears on our lists in the late 1890s, and the firm continued until the second world war. Nobody anywhere can trace the history of every individual piano, but have a look at www.PianoGen.org for clues.

[coppilowbarn]

Thanks for the reply Bill, the medals contains the following information:

1. "For the excellance of Manufacture" Gold Medal 1898
2. " Awarded for Merit" Gold Medal 1899

I have yet to find any mention of Newsome Bros or Russell in my search to deceide if the piano is of any value. Of course it might be skip job as its no longer required.

[Bill Kibby]

In 1899, Edwin Lee, London, was awarded a Diploma (and Gold Medal?) for his pianos. at the Exhibition of Commerce, Manufacture, Inventions and Art, Alexandra Palace, London. This is the only reference we have so far for exhibitions of that date. It is unusual to mention the medals, but not say where they came from, and this suggests to me that they were from fairly insignificant events!