Barnett Samuel and sons..

[esther1uk]

Hello,

I've just bought a piano at a local auction. It looks and sounds great, although it does need a serious tune!


It says Barnett Samuel and Sons.London on it, and the frame is also stamped with this, as well as the numbers 18596. If anyone couyld give me a rough date, that would be great.

Many Thanks.

Amanda

[Bill Kibby]

The piano is typical of uprights made in London around a century ago, but no information is available to date this make by its number. Have a look at pianohistory.info

[Bill Kibby]

They claimed to have been established in 1832, but they do not appear as piano makers in my many London lists between 1832 and 1951, except for Alfred Dolge's "Pianos and their makers", 1911, which gets the name wrong, and calls them "Samuel Barnett & Sons"! The photo is very small. Can you tell me the complete, exact wording on the piano?

[jsamuel]

I am not knowledgeable about pianos, but I am a direct descendant of Barnett Samuel so I can maybe add some information here.

Barnett Samuel ltd was established in 1832 and became a manufacturer of a wide range of musical instruments at competitive prices.
In 1872 Barnett's eldest son, and my great grandfather Sampson, was taken into partnership and the title of the firm became Barnett Samuel and Son.
In 1901 With another son, Nelson joining the business the company was incorporated as Barnett Samuel and Sons Ltd. By this time the firm was one of the largest musical instrument wholesalers in the country and, in addition, had established their own piano factory in North London. In the 1905 Barnett Samuel and Sons trade catalog the 'Straduarius' imitation old master violin sold for 11 shillings with a 50 percent reduction to 'Trade', other violins were priced at around 7 shillings.

During the early part of the century the business became dominated by the production of the portable gramophone which they sold under the trade name 'Decca', though the piano business continued as did other musical instrument businesses. the family sold the business in the first half of the 20th century and Decca did rather well after that in the gramophone record business!

[Some of this info is adapted from Grace's guide http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Barnett_Samuel_and_Sons which I believe to be accurate]

We have an eave-staff mini piano which was I believe manufactured by their factory - I think in the 19430s or 40s.

In terms of dating your piano, it must be no earlier than 1901 to be Barnett Samuel and Sons [plural]. I do not know how late that company name would have been used on the pianos from the London factory. At some point the factory became subsidiary / changed name / was sold off. [Boyd Ltd?]
My guess is the piano would be manufctured somewhere between 1901 and 1918.

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks for that interesting information. However, the Edwardian page I mentioned above
http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html

also gives some information on the Brasted factory, which made Eavestaff Minipianos.

I would estimate that the piano illustrated above was made around 1904.