German Piano, manufacturer ?

[newone]

I have antique piano which is made in 19 century (seller told me that it was made in 19 century), but I don't know manufacturer of this piano. there isn't name on the front or any serial number on the back.

There is a logo on the soundboard with numbers 5880, unicorn and moon. I googled this logo, but found nothing.

I will post here the picture of the piano and Logo, if you know something about it please tell me.

[Bill Kibby]

5580 is the serial number, but it doesn't help unless someone knows whose logo that was. It appears to be German, 1890s, but to quote my home page, although I am fascinated by victorian pianos, they rarely fetch as much as 90 pounds at auction here in the UK, unless they have been professionally restored, indeed many do not reach 20 pounds. If you know how to remove the action safely (the working parts of the notes) it may be marked with the action makers' name and number, and we may be able to date this.

[newone]

Can you tell me witch part to remove ? there is nothing on the back, I have removed front part but there is nothing beside this logo !




Is there some kind of encyclopedia where I can see the logos of the pianos ?

The interesting thing in this piano is it's keyboard ! it is made with elephant bone. and looks very beautiful and different. is there antique pianos with elephant bone keyboards ?






Piano Candle Sconce is made by bronze. Does someone made pianos with bronze candle Sconces ?




I can't understand what you said about "pounds", you mean it is not valuable ?

[Bill Kibby]

The action is the working parts of the notes, the parts that make the hammers strike the strings. You might have to ask your tuner to remove it for you.

There is no encyclopedia where you can see the logos of piano makers.

It's not "elephant bone", it's ivory, commonly used in old piano keyboards.

The sconces are not unusual.

I said that most Victorian pianos are not valuable unless they have been professionally restored.

[newone]

i have removed actions, but still nothing. there is nothing on the actions and on the piano, just there are numbers written by hand 5880.

is there any other way to find out manufacturer ?

[Bill Kibby]

If I knew that, I would tell you. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a German equivalent to our Piano History Centre!

[Bill Kibby]

F. Geissler, of Zeitz, used a trade mark consisting of a unicorn and a crescent moon. His factory was established in 1878, and continued into the twentieth century. No accurate dates of serial numbers are available, but Geissler piano #8985, owned by Derek Dawkins, was marked with tuning dates regularly from 1911 onwards, which suggests that it may have been new then. The Geissler uprights I have tuned also tend to be around the beginning of this century, but I have never managed to date one accurately so far.

[newone]

thank you very very much

Geissler piano #8985, owned by Derek Dawkins, was marked with tuning dates regularly from 1911 onwards, which suggests that it may have been new then.

I removed keyboard and there was a note written by hand : "this piano was tuned by me 1923" it was written in Georgian language, I live in republic of Georgia. My mom bought this piano here, and seller told her that this piano were made in 19 century.

[joseph]

georgia? Are you OK over there? The situation in your country sounds grave from our media.

[newone]

well, I am in Tbilisi (capital). here everything is all right, but we are expecting Russian invasion. they are worse then terrorists and nazis, much more.

[newone]

I can't find info about F. Geissler ? does someone know where I can find something about this man ?

[Bill Kibby]

The information I gave you is all I know, and more than I've found in any any one place in 45 years.

[Grenache]

Hi,

I've been trawling the internet, thanks to Mr. Google, for anything about Geissler, or Geißler...

There's a different piano by Geissler on eBay Austria for sale, one of the pictures has the same unicorn & crescent:
http://cgi.ebay.at/Klavier-von-Geissler ... dZViewItem
That one is much newer that your, though, with what might be an art-deco case.

Another one, again newer, is for sale in this piano shop in Hamburg:
http://www.klaviere-und-fluegel.de/Klav ... alerie.htm

According to this Dutch piano shop http://jvanmedevoort.nl/pianonummers/g/geissler.htm, Geissler's factory was established in 1878

Hope this helps

[Bill Kibby]

1878 was what I said, thanks for those links.