Challenge for you. Who made my piano?

[pr_capone]

My wife's grandmother purchased this piano roughly 80 years ago in Vermont, USA.

The piano has no markings or serial numbers anywhere. Or if it does have them, I am have been unable to find them. I don't know who made it, where it was made, or its exact age.

We just brought the piano home from her parent's house and am wanting a bit of information on it for the insurance company. Though the piano has definitely seen better days but it means the world to my wife so regardless of value... it has a home here with us.

I can take any pictures you request and will post them up as promptly as possible. Hopefully these pictures can get you started.

Many thanks ahead of time for your help with this.

cheers

[Bill Kibby]

I find it quite impossible to tell most twentieth-century grands apart, and the smaller they are, the harder it is. Often, the name transfer disappears when the piano is repolished. I am guessing that it is British, and perhaps from the thirties, in which case the action may well bear the name of Herrburger Brooks, but all that would tell us is that it was made afer 1919. What is the total length? Any other clues will be hidden in the keys and action.

[pr_capone]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Is there something you saw that led you to believe that it is a British piano?

We have had piano tuners and repairmen look through this thing and not a single one of them know the first thing about it's history nor have they been able to find any identifying markings.

I suspect that trying to find the maker of this piano will turn out to be an interesting hobby.

As for the length... I'll go find a tape measure.

[pr_capone]

62 inches long

56 3/4 inches wide

[pr_capone]

At the suggestion of a friend I took off the fall board. There was no name but I did find some numbers.



the top numbers are 6874
the bottom numbers are 912

now what to do with these numbers? lol

[pr_capone]

found another number

226 874

[Bill Kibby]

Sadly, numbers are no use at all on their own, and many are no use even with a name! Have you looked at my Datemarks page at http://www.pianogen.org

It is a slim chance, since you have already looked around for marks. I haven't any logic for thinking that it is British, just a feeling of familiarity to so many baby grands I have seen over the years. As I said before, they are all so similar, it is difficult to date them even when we have full details.

[Gill the Piano]

What about a pic of the action from the front, Bill? Did the merkins make Simplex actions? Just a thought...

[Bill Kibby]

My problem is that the name SIMPLEX was not only used in many different trades, it has several different meanings within the piano trade, and even "Simplex Action" can mean several different things. It might be enlightening to see end views of the action if it gets taken out.

I thought a merkin was... oh, never mind.

[Pianomate]

Simplex has umpteen meanings outside of the piano trade as well!

[Bill Kibby]

That's why I said the name SIMPLEX was used in many different trades!