Normelle by Murdoch

[rtalley]

My sister recently gave me a piano that was given to her by a friend. On the inside of the piano key's lid it says Normelle London. Printed above the keys it has Murdoch, Murdoch & Co. 71 Northumberland St. Newcastle (___?) Tyne. On the left top of the piano under the lid it has the numbers 21717 and 126. I found a bit of info. on the Murdoch Co. but nothing about the Normelle. Do you know any additional info. or how I can find out more? It is old and badly out of tune. Will piano tuners tune such an old piano? Thanks.
-Ruth

[Bill Kibby]

We have a few ads and references to Normelle on file, and I have tuned many of them. My uncle had a Normelle piano which he was told was made in France, but despite suggestions that they are French or Italian, (pronounced "Normelli"!) these are definitely British pianos, made for Murdochs at the Spencer factory, London. The number may be around 1924. Murdoch upright pianos typically have a number on the top edge of the bass end of the case, with a smaller number at right-angles, thought to be a model number or type, but the published numbers for Murdoch are unreliable, although they can often be dated quite reliably by the action, if it is made by Malcolm, whose numbers I have published at www.PianoGen.org

These are located on a paper label on the rear of the hammer-rail. Normelle pianos often have the casting date on the iron frame, below keyboard level.

The question of age is not the point with tuning, it is condition that matters, and your tuner will have to advise you. Many much older pianos are still tuned if they are capable of holding in tune.