Steinmetz Upright Piano

[dajahew1]

Hi, I have a piano which has been passed down my family. It has the word "STEINMETZ" on the lid in yellow. It has it's own matching seat, and the wood is a dark brown colour. There is a number inside, 30615, which may be some sort of serial code. On one of the planks of wood, there is a code saying "W 83". I don't know what that is for, either. There are two pedals. And for some strange reason, it is not tuned to concert pitch. It is tuned to about half a semitone lower than normal pitch. I'm guessing that it it 50+ years old. It has a lock. Picture: http://yfrog.com/jkpict0054qsj

If it is possible, where did the brand "STEINMETZ" come from? Is it just a prototype? If you could give a valuation or rough guess of age, that would be greatly appreciated. I have looked all over the internet for the piano brand "STEINMETZ" with no joy at all.

Regards,
Darryl.

[Bill Kibby]

Like Steinmayer and many others, Steinmetz has more recently become available as a cheap name transfer to be put onto any piano when it is repolished, losing the original name. We have no dates of serial numbers, and the pianos cannot always be identified, so any clues will be hidden inside. Have a look at pianogen.org

[dajahew1]

Like Steinmayer and many others, Steinmetz has more recently become available as a cheap name transfer to be put onto any piano when it is repolished, losing the original name. We have no dates of serial numbers, and the pianos cannot always be identified, so any clues will be hidden inside. Have a look at pianogen.org

I've just found, on the cast iron frame, it says "BA 214" and it is concealed in a circle. Would that give any more clues?

Picture: http://yfrog.com/0vpict0072zhj

[Bill Kibby]

214 encircled could be anywhere from about 1900 to 1932! From what little the photo shows, it could easily be twenties / thirties or even forties.

[Bill Kibby]

I forgot to answer your point about the pitch. The vast majority of piano owners do not have their pianos tuned regularly enough, and they drop in pitch more than the tuner can raise them safely in one visit, so they go gradually downwards. It is not at all uncommon to find a piano one or two semitones below pitch, and some are 6 or 7 semitones down. With regular tuning, the pitch can be brought up gradually, but it would be unwise to pull it up in one go unless it is important, so you would have to put up with the pitch somewhere "in the cracks" of other instruments. Raising a semitone in one go will require a number of tunings, and your tuner will advise you about the possible risks.

[dajahew1]

I forgot to answer your point about the pitch. The vast majority of piano owners do not have their pianos tuned regularly enough, and they drop in pitch more than the tuner can raise them safely in one visit, so they go gradually downwards. It is not at all uncommon to find a piano one or two semitones below pitch, and some are 6 or 7 semitones down. With regular tuning, the pitch can be brought up gradually, but it would be unwise to pull it up in one go unless it is important, so you would have to put up with the pitch somewhere "in the cracks" of other instruments. Raising a semitone in one go will require a number of tunings, and your tuner will advise you about the possible risks.

Is it possible though, even if the tuner raised the pitch gradually over a few visits, the strain caused by the strings being tighter on such an old frame cause the soundboard or the wood to crack?

[Bill Kibby]

There ae all sorts of risks, which have to be weighed up against the advantages of having it up to pitch. Soundboards are not usually a problem, but bridges, iron frames, strings all have to be inspected, even assuming that the piano is capable of being tuned at all. Ask your tuner, he is there on the spot. If you don't like his answers, try another tuner.

[dajahew1]

There ae all sorts of risks, which have to be weighed up against the advantages of having it up to pitch. Soundboards are not usually a problem, but bridges, iron frames, strings all have to be inspected, even assuming that the piano is capable of being tuned at all. Ask your tuner, he is there on the spot. If you don't like his answers, try another tuner.

I have new pictures:

[Bill Kibby]

Based on the new evidence provided by these photos, I would say that this is almost certainly a piano, and the name begins with the letters "ST". It looks like something from around the twenties or thirties, similar to those made by the wholesalers Brasted, London, and sold with many different names.

[pianofan]

Just thought it would be useful to state.
We have a Steinmetz Upright. It has been in this house since 1905 and we also have the delivery receipt for it. Dark, Dark, Mahogany and has been played here for many years. Tuned once a year. It has Steinmetz and four coins to the right of the name in Brass. The receipt states Steinmetz and delivered from London so therefore the idea that its a name added later is unlikely and incorrect as it was brand new as a Steinmetz.

[Bill Kibby]

When I said "sold with many different names" I meant when they were brand new, as you can read at
http://pianogen.org/names.html

[NewAge]

Based on the new evidence provided by these photos, I would say that this is almost certainly a piano, and the name begins with the letters "ST". It looks like something from around the twenties or thirties, similar to those made by the wholesalers Brasted, London, and sold with many different names.

[vernon]

In the 50s and 60s when we used to "modernise" pianos we used a variety of transfer names when the old one came off with the stripper.
There was a selection available from the piano parts suppliers,one of which was Steinmetz.
However,as the pedigree of the poster's piano goes back to 1905,perhaps there really was a firm called Steinmetz in thoses days.