Kirkman, London Upright Piano age?

[wadsi]

Hi i recently aquired free of charge a Kirkman of London upright piano. It looks in fairly good nick apart from a couple of blister patches on the top, a ripped fabric back and it also looks as though a few details are missing off the front, but generaly I'd say is in great condition. I have found one number on the top left hand side when you take the top front off, which is 45628. I will upload photos of the piano and the number in detail as of yet this is the only number i have come across any ideas of were any other numbers / markings might be located would be greatly appreciated. I know nothing about pianos but it was going to be broken up and skipped so as it was a lovely piece i thought id have it. the pictures aren't the best but hope theyre ok.

Any ideas on age / wild guess at if its worth anything etc would be greatly apreciated thanks.

On some pictures there is small dots, this is rain as it was chucking it down when we got it off the van.

pics are uploaded below

http://img244.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dsc00761c.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9182/dsc00761c.jpg
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http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6734/dsc00770f.jpg
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5053/dsc00771l.jpg
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http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8914/img0081b.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4700/img0082x.jpg

thanks again, Ian

[Gill the Piano]

1893, according to Pierce's piano Atlas.

[Bill Kibby]

Yup! That's what it says, but there are problems with some Kirkman numbers, and I would like to think it was nearer 1913, not that I have any hard evidence. Have a look at my Datemarks page
http://www.pianohistory.info/datemarks.html

The Numbers page there also explains that pianos often have several numbers.
http://www.pianohistory.info/numbers.html

Unfortunately, if you did find another, we couldn't say if it was 1913, because after the firm was taken over by Collard in 1896, the numbers hardly moved until 1922! We are asked to believe that ony 790 were made in 26 years.

Nobody is going to value it without on-the-spot testing. Ask your tuner.

[Bill Kibby]

To add to the confusion, Charles Begg's stockbooks show Kirkman pianos having serial numbers around 32000 in 1914, which would make your piano much later.

[ChristopherT]

I am curious as to the reference to Charles Begg's stockbooks. Is this a reference to the Account Books April 1914 - October 1919 held in the Hocken Library, Dunedin, NZ - or are there other company books held elsewhere?

[Bill Kibby]

Charles Begg's stockbooks, 1914.

[ChristopherT]

Where abouts are the Begg's stockbooks held? In private hands or a public archives somewhere?

[Bill Kibby]

They are the ones in Dunedin

[ChristopherT]

Thank you, I shall try and have a look at them when I am down there next month.