FAKE Nathaniel Berry - Princess of Sweden Seal

[SrDonWilliam]

Hello, I need the advice of some of you piano "know it alls" out there. I found a really rare piano at a shop in Madrid. You can see a picture of it here... http://www.photomusik.com/sp/hm/publ/a_ ... 210015.jpg

It is in an antique shop that specializes in Deco furniture and NOT pianos. The owner was asking 8,000€, it has the title Nathaniel Berry & Sons Ltd. on flipside of the keyboard cover, and said that it was the property of the Princess of Sweden and the Queen of Denmark and that it had the seal to prove it. He went on to say that if he had the contacts of the Royal Society in Sweden they would pay ten times the amount to have it back in their collection.

I did some research and can find no such model from Berry like this particular model, however, I noticed that Eavstaff made a remarkably similar piano. Spinet style with 72 keys and two pedals. See here...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Eavestaff-Pianett ... 77004r8910

It even looked the same (minus the outlandish paint scheme on the model in the antique shop). And lo and behold, all the Eavstaff pianette pianos have the same royal seal from HRH Princess Ingrid of Sweden. I also thought it was strange that the piano in the antique shop had no support structure for the keyboard cover, which normally can be used as a sheet music holder when turned over. The Eavestaff model has a rear structure that would serve as a support, but it seems that it has been removed.

The piano wasnt very tuned but the owner did say that he had just spent 2000€ to have it rebuilt and that with a little tuning it would be in perfect working order. But I have my doubts.

My questions to you experts are:

What is going on here?
What is an Evestaff that needs a little work worth?
What would a piano like this be worth?
Is it worth buying if I get a massive discount?

The fact of the matter is I am not an expert player, but I do love to play and I love the way this piano looks. But I am not going to fork over 8000€ or even half that for a fake.

Thanks for your help!!!

[mdw]

In answer to your questions
1. Hes a plonker.
2. Bugger all.
3. See above.
4. As long as the discount is 8.000euros yes.
There are much much much better pianos out there. It doesnt matter whos played it or who owned it if its a second rate piano....................... its a second rate piano.

[SrDonWilliam]

Thanks MDW,

But I guess then I have to ask, Am I right??? Is this really an Eavestaff that this guy has doctored up to look like a Nathaniel Berry?

[SrDonWilliam]

I keep looking at it and there are notable differences: IE the height of the keyboard to the closure is smaller in this version than most of the Eavestaff models I have seen.

Is it or isnt it an Eavestaff? If I get into the back guts of the piano is there anything I can look for?

[mdw]

Apart form the colur it looks the same as a Eavestaff I had to tune a few weeks ago. They did loads of different cases on them, green, black with chrome plus lights! the ususal wood finishes, odd veneers etc. Ive even seen one with barrel ends as cocktail cabnets. If you like the case great but the piano its built on is not great due to the size and design. If I ever have to take them away as part of a new sale they get smashed up straight away. Perhaps I should be shipping them to Spain.

Theres at least 5 on ebay right now including one in a rather bright blue !!!!

[vernon]

It is an Eavestaffe ( mini-see the matching stool)
As perceptive contributors note above,it is valueless commercially.You might get £40 for the stool.The ends and the stool often were rotten with woodworm due to the presence of tasty animal glue.

[dcash]

I bought an Eavestaff piannette minipiano for £90 at an auction about 2 years ago. It's a lovely looking piano, and is quite playable, though there are of course better sounding pianos. They sell from about £100 on eBay, so I'm surprised dealers scrap them. The wacky coloured ones are worth more, and my piano tuner doesn't like the overdamped models.
David