Laurinat & Co. Berlin

[Se3141]

Hi All, I'm trying to find out more information about the piano that's been in our house now for 17 years and which I spent many of my younger years playing, and this forum certainly seems to be my best chance.

The piano itself is an upright, 47 inches high (excluding wheels) and has a 7 octave (85 key) keyboard. The only 2 marks visible from the front outside are a raised plaque with Laurinat & Co, Berlin (which on a basic search of the Internet yields very little), on it and the name "P.W.Semple, Duke St. Glasgow" - perhaps where the piano was originally purchased from, I have no idea. The piano hasn't been tuned for a few years (I'd guess 6, it may be slightly more). I will endeavour to post pictures of it as soon as I can get hold of my sister's digital camera!!

Of course, any information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.

[Se3141]

P.W.Semple is incorrect, a quick search has found that it should in fact read J.W.Semple (which when checking the Piano does tally - very difficult to tell what the first letter was!!), who according to a picture of a record sleave on another website sold Pianos, Gramaphones and Records from a shop on 370 Duke Street, Glasgow.

[Se3141]

As promised, photos of the aforementioned Piano. I wouldn't be entirely confident taking it to pieces as per some of the photos i've seen on here, but if there's anywhere not too far out of reach that I can snap that's likely to help provide some more information, please let me know.

[Bill Kibby]

I'm sorry I don't seem to have seen your original enquiry, I'll see what I can look up for you.

[Bill Kibby]

If you see 1879 written there, it is not the date of the piano, it is the date they were established, so the piano was made after that date. Van Gruisen & Son could be at least as early as 1886, but the photos look more like something made a century ago. Semple & Sons is a difficult one, they overlapped several versions of the name.

[Se3141]

Hi Bill

Thanks for your reply. I can't see any dates on the raised plaque or next to where the Semple signature is.

Whilst it does say Berlin in the plaque, inside the cross on the 2 circular disks on the raised plaque it does say Berlin & London if this is of any use.

[Bill Kibby]

I have no way of doing active research on Berlin firms, and haven't found it yet in our many London lists. The odd thing is the Scottish connection, they were sold by various Scottish dealers, like Semple, McLachlan, Paterson, Buchanan, etc. so perhaps Herr Laurinat promoted them in Scotland. I stick by my estimate of around 1908. Have a look at the Datemarks page at www.PianoGen.org

[Se3141]

I took the bottom panel off below the keyboard (which as you said was easy going) but couldn't see any datemarks from the cast iron that was visible.



If it's not overly difficult i'll try and delve further into it but I don't want to be left with a harp!!

[Bill Kibby]

It certainly looks German, and the only reference I can find to a London address for Laurinat & Co. is in 1894, when they were at 41, Berners Street W.

[Se3141]

Thanks Bill, now that i've started digging about i'd really like to find as much as I can. I appreciate that there may not be more to it, but a datemark would be pleasing to find. Are there any pointers/do's/don'ts you could suggest as to how far I can take the piano apart?

[Bill Kibby]

The top door (top front panel) should either come away when you lift the top, or will have two simple clips at the top corners. The fall (keyboard lid) is hinged to the hollow, and that may roll out, or lift out, but if it is warped, you could have trouble getting it back without a carpenter's help. If you get it out, there may be a nameboard screwed in at each end, then the keys should lift out carefully, but make sure you can get them back in the right places, each one is different.

Have a look at the Datemarks page at www.PianoGen.org

The action (the working parts of the notes) is more risky to move, as you may well break parts and not be able to get it back.