G. Schwechten

[Becca]

This beautiful upright piano has been in our family for years. It is composed of matching burled wood pieces with immaculate detailing. The front reads "G. Schwechten," "Hof-Paino-forte," "Fabrikant, Berlin." The inside has what appears to be cast in a bronze/copper color. Imbossed is "G" incircled within a raised outline and topped with two flowers. The inside right in the same bronze/copper material is imbossed "G. Schwechten," and underneath 33252. Burnished in the the inside right upright support is a series of what could be coin impressions around which reads "G. Schwechten," "Flugel-und Pianoforte - Fabrikant Gegvundet 1853," and "Berlin Koch-Str.61." We have had the piano professionally moved and tuned. Each time the individuals have been very interested should I decide to sell, but not very forthcoming on history or value. One key has had the ivory restored and therefore the color is lighter and we have one dead key. As we are in the process of moving again it will be addressed as soon as in its new home. The pulls on each side are detailed brass and the ornamentation is like nothing I have ever been able to compare. I have the ability to send photos if this would be helpful. Thank you!

[Bill Kibby]

1853 was the year that Schwechten was established. The number suggests that the piano was made in 1900. Value is always a non-starter, see
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/valua ... ianos.html

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/reports.html

[Heliantus]

1853 was the year that Schwechten was established. The number suggests that the piano was made in 1900. Value is always a non-starter, see
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/valua ... ianos.html

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/reports.html

Hello , I have piano G.Schwechten whith number 24844 . Where i can see how old are they ?
Sorry i speak english very bad ,but i understand every word . I need your help i just want to know her year .If you want i can send photos .
whith big thanks from Belorusia.

[Bill Kibby]

The number suggests that your piano was made around 1889. See also the Exhibitions page at the link below.

[clintd]

Greetings from New Zealand
I was given and collected a G Schwechten piano today.
Its in average condition and has loverly carved timber legs
Candle holders are missing but cabinet is not to bad,looks like oak.
I was interested about age and after seeing comments above am wondering if it may be pre 1900.
The serial number is 15981.
Would this mean that 15981 pianos had been built by this company?
It fasinates me to think it would have come to New Zealand by ship all that time ago
It has been a bit damp and some keys hammers are sticking so I have taken out the mechanism unit and placed it in our lounge to dry out a bit.

Thanks
Clint

[Bill Kibby]

There is nothing unusual about German pianos appearing all round the world. The number suggests a date in the late 1870s. Numbers do not always represent production, see the Numbers link at pianogen.org

[Maarten]

Hello everybody,

Yesterday we bought a piano and moved it to our house. What a heavy instrument!
It is made by G. Schwechten, Berlin.

So after more then 20 years, my wife can play piano again.
Off course, it has to be tuned.

Here are some pics of it.








Does anyone know what this means? Has it been repaired by an other company in the passed?


I found some part numbers, but no serial number. Does anyone has an idea how old this piano is? We were thinking about the 1940's.




A lot of dust waits to be removed...

Best regards from a wet Netherlands,

Maarten Weers

[Bill Kibby]

The serial number is clearly shown in yourt photo - 6954, suggesting an unknown date before 1870. Isermann made the action - the working parts of the notes.

[Maarten]

...
The serial number is clearly shown in yourt photo - 6954, suggesting an unknown date before 1870.
...

I thought this was the part number of the back plate.

...
Isermann made the action - the working parts of the notes.
...

Aha, so Schwechter didn't make the piano completly by themself. Thanks for your information and the very quick reaction.

Best regards,
Maarten Weers

[Bill Kibby]

Hardly any piano makers do the whole thing, it is quite usual to have specialists prioducing actions, keys, frames etc..

[Talaward]

My upright grand piano, that used to have candelabras on two of the front panels, was bought to New Zealand with my great great parents in 1864. It has a serial number 23,000.

[Bill Kibby]

It's great to have such definite information about dates of Victorian pianos, but the problem is that the published numbers have been confirmed as correct around the 1880s, and this one suggests 1888! It just goes to show that nothing is safe when it comes to numbers.

[kahna]

Hello, my G. Schwechten piano has number 33082, I'm very interested to know how old is it. Could You help me please?

[alexandrina]

Thank you to the people registering on this forum and especially to the East Anglia folk who are helping we owners with information about these wonderfully worked instruments.

When my mother in law was very old she requested that our young daughter play an instrument and always spoke about her grandmothers ability as a Music Teacher in Australia during the Victorian era. She had taught Piano and Violin and so when my mother in law passed away in 1996 I bought our daughter (then aged 3) an antique G Schwechten Piano, and also a Violin.

The Piano is black, and beautifully designed, has carved legs and adornments although the candelabras are missing. It still sounds lovely when played and everyone who plays it comments on the deep mellow sound which just cannot be replicated by most of the modern instruments.

We really love this piano and wondered about the Makers Schwechten. Do you have any further information about them?

I can post pictures of it ; am also simply amazed that these super heavy pianos arrived via ship to Australia from Germany or the UK in 1870's - 1880's. That must have cost an absolute fortune in shipping costs. Seems we are not the only ones who adored this piano.

Would love to know more, as would the Visitor from Poland.

Thank you very much in keeping this forum going.

Hope to hear from you.

Alexandrina in Sydney Australia

[Bill Kibby]

My active research is aimed at antique British pianos, but if you email me, I can quote for printing some historical notes on Schwechten. I don't give away my life's work free on the internet.

[luiscon14]

Hi, I'm new at this forum, I have just bought a piano, it is a G. Schwechten, serial number 6172 (I think it is the oldest in this forum). My technician (tuner) told me that it can't be tuned to concert pitch because it is too old, but he doesn't know the brand, the piano seems in perfect condition (at least to my eyes) and it has a beauriful really beautiful sound but it's tuned two tones below normal.

Does anyone know if this pianos are good enough to be tuned at A-440 even when they're 140+ years old?

thanks

Luis Conrado

-I also wonder how does this piano was brought to Mexico!!!

[Bill Kibby]

It's not that simple, there are several factors to consider, such as tightness or otherwise of the tuning pins, condition of the strings and structure, and history of the individual piano. Pianos don't suddenly drop two tones, it takes many years of neglect, and that can't be overcome instantly. It would have been capable of A440 when it was made. To raise it gradually and safely could cost you 16 tunings, to raise in one go will mean it goes straight out of tune again, even if it survives without major damage. In the end, it is the tuner on the spot who must advise you.

[luiscon14]

Well, first of all thank you for answering my post. Actually the piano didn't drop two tones from A440, the fact is that it was tuned two tones below because the tuner said that the piano was not designed to be tuned at A440.

So if someone in this forum know if piano from this maker and this age can be tuned at A440 or not, please tell me and tell me what should I do if I want to learn piano, I don't know if it's good or bad to learn with a piano that is tuned 2 tones or whatever below the standard.

The seller told me that he can change me the piano if I want but he have only old very old pianos, maybe one of them is less than 30 years old and can be tuned but the true is that I love this one, it has beautiful wood and ivory keys. Every component looks perfect, the bridges are solid and strong, the iron frame seems perfect, the strings, the tuning pins also seems good (to my eyes).

My piano is almos the same age as Maarten's piano. Maarten, how do you have your piano tuned?

I'll try to post photos soon.

Regards...
... Luis Conrado

[Bill Kibby]

Most of the pianos you are ever likely to see were capable of being tuned to A440 when they were new, but from here, I can't judge why this has been tuned down. There is no reason I can think of why anyone would actually pull it downwards, unless the whole structure is falling apart at the seams. It is perfectly possible to play a piano that is not at the correct pitch, provided you don't have a sense of absolute pitch. However, learning on one that is wrong may well lead to you becoming uncomfortable when you play one that is right.

[Ltrex]

Hi! How old is a G. Schwechten piano with serial number 42224, and is it worth any money?

Regards: Lars, Sweden.

[Bill Kibby]

The number suggests 1921, ask your local tuner what it is worth, we can't tell you from here.