Brasted, London

[skepticator]

Hi all who read this, I have recently started learning piano (yeeerrr) good times. I have a thirst for knowledge about my piano, a friend was kind enough to give it to me and I would like to know a bit aout my new best friend. I have looked up online on loads of site but I cant find anything about it. I have found the serial number, it is 31537, I don't really want to pay to search for the info but a lot of sites say I have to pay to research the number, I don't mind doing the research for myself, I just need to know where to look. Can any one help me out?

[Bill Kibby]

I have already answered this one by email, free of charge, the date is possibly 1922, but we need more details and photos. Some information about Brasted may be found at...
http://www.pianogen.org/numbers.html

[Colin Nicholson]

Brasted of London don't have their own serial numbers; they were made by Eavestaff (who did mini pianos). I have referred to Eavestaff serial numbers, but your number doesn't match either. They started their serial numbers around 1950, #135000 - so a long way out!!

You could try www.piercepianoatlas.com but they charge in advance even if they can't find the year.

From experience, I once partially restored a Brasted about 10 years ago - over-strung/ under-damped, and by the square tapered legs at the front, most were made around in the 1920's & 30's.

CN

[skepticator]

thanks for the reply, thats why i dont want to pay, incase i pay for nothing, im not agambling man, and this is like gambling lol.

when i open the lid to the keys is has "brasted-london" on the cover. havent got a clue how to find more info. it needs tuning, so im going to call out a tuner. do you think they could give me more info? i also have sqaured tapered legs on my piano, it also has a rectangle with two squares either side of the rectanlge on the front. there is a panel at the front which is held on by wooden pegs and can be taken of to acces the bottom of the frame. it does seem 1930s

[skepticator]

it is very simalur to this but much older, and worn. http://www.alainchauvelaccordeurdepiano ... 133688.jpg

[Colin Nicholson]

.... know how you feel, its annoying not finding info. Problem is, is that there is no special book about certain models of piano - most never kept records, and if they did, they never survived. We are sometimes just lumbered with giving out dates of establishment, who took over the company & when, how many pianos were made, and when they all died!! thats it mate.

One trick you could try, need a bit of luck here.... sometimes a QC or previous tuner/technician or restorer puts a date on the side of the first key, A1. Alot of newer pianos do it like Yamaha (green stamp) to tell the approx. year of manu. Or, lift out a few keys (keeping them in order), and you never know, you might find an old cinema ticket, some coins or something with a date on!! On some German pianos, they use newspaper cut into small round washers for the centre rail, to level the keys - who knows!!

CN

[skepticator]

thanks colin, i have checked the keys, no dates but some of them have letter written on the in pencil. im going to get it restored and retuned so maybe the guy who comes can give me more info.

the guy above thinks its 1922! awesome lol

[Bill Kibby]

Sorry Colin, but Brasteds certainly did have their own serial numbers, and I have some dates on file.

[Colin Nicholson]

Hi Bill, I never knew that - I thought that they were passed onto Eavestaff? I remember reading a while ago about the Brasted brothers trying to claim fame for the drop action where hammers come towards you & strung backwards - and they seem a "mixed bag" !! didn't they make aeroplane bits?
Barrie also says somewhere that Brasted didn't have their own serial numbers? You've got me thinking now!!
Regards

[Bill Kibby]

Several piano factories helped with the war effort. Brasteds took over the manufacture of Eavestaff pianos in 1925, but the serial numbers are a mess! There are at least 3 sets, quite independent of the Brasted numbers. See
http://pianogen.org/numbers.html

[rukiakuchiki_17]

I currently purchased a Brasted London Upright Piano...
I want to determine what age of my piano...
I can't find some infomation at the internet...
The Serial Number is J&WH 24153
There is words below the Brasted London near the keys... "Jas & W.M Hastings...
The original color of my Piano is Mahogany but I ask my Piano Tuner to change it to Black...
The Height of my piano is 51"++...

[Bill Kibby]

The letters before this number show that it is the dealer's stock number, and we have no way of dating this, except that J&WH3646 is a 1936 piano, so yours is probably later. There will be other numbers inside the piano. Brasted pianos are usually dated under the keys of the bottom notes. James & William Hastings were established in Sheffield, 1879, and they continued at least until the thirties.

[rukiakuchiki_17]

w0w thanks for the information...
I'll ask my piano tuner to check for other numbers at the bottom keys...
I only saw 1 number at the top lid of the piano...

[rukiakuchiki_17]

by the way...
what is the best tones of a piano? a old one or the new one?

[Bill Kibby]

There is no such thing as best, only what YOU like!

[Erasmus]

Hi, there is piano for sale which says BRASTED London and the serial number which is on the sound board is 160629. Now the sales person say it is not more than 15 years old, that is manufactured after 1995 or so. I need this information as I am looking at buying it. The sales person has some digital photos of the piano though they are not perfect. I am from Sri Lanka and they are quoting approximately USD 2000 for the piano. I need to know the possible manufacture date of this unit. Is BRASTED London Pianos in production still. I saw the post the they have been bought by Barratt and Robinson. Thank you in advance for the help as this is a substantial investment for me.

[Colin Nicholson]

Some photos of this piano would help - and showing the mechanism inside.
Brasted are quite an 'old' company, taken over by Eavestaff. Some serial numbers may have been shared, and some numbers are not actually serial numbers. If the numbers are a serial number, then they suggest around 1955, but I don't think Brasted did pianos right up to 1995?

Personally, you need to get it checked over by a piano tuner/ technician, who can verify the date by the condition & design of the mechanism, casework design etc. This could however could have been a reconditioned piano - but it doesn't entitle seller to move the manufacture date.

[vernon]

I've never come across a Brasted after 1945! Mr Brasted was connected with Eavestaff for some time after that I sem to remember.
You say you are from Sri Lanka. If you live there $2000 US may be right.
Here in the UK a pre war Brasted would cost no more than £300.

[tumairika]

Hi
I have a 1932 brasted upright red mahogany piano in excellent condition.
The panel where the foot pegs are has two sets of numbers on it. They are
158542
3224
Is this correct and what are these priced at?

[Bill Kibby]

Nobody can guess the value or condition of a piano without tuning it. How did you arrive at 1932? I would expect that number to be some time after 1946, but pianos often have several numbers inside.

[PP3333]

Hello.
The model made in 1952 has no number. At least it has no number on the frame's front.
Could you please tell me how to find a company wich inherited the Brasted's factory and produce acoustic pianos these days?
Thanks in advance.

[Bill Kibby]

There are no big piano factories at all in Britain now.

2011 "Dear Mr. Bill Kibby, Probably you may be aware of the fact that we have acquired both the above British piano companies and its only tangible assets which are its proprietary brand names such as Challen, Barratt & Robinson, Witton & Witton, Schreiber, Kastner, Kingswood, Skerratt Bros., Brasted and Ministrelle. For the past 26 years since we first licensed from its owners their Challen and Barratt & Robinson brand names in 1985 and subsequently acquired both their companies and all of its intangible trade marks in 1991 we have so far been marketing worldwide only the Challen and Barratt & Robinson brand names. Vienna Music, China."

[PP3333]

There are no big piano factories at all in Britain now.

2011 "Dear Mr. Bill Kibby, Probably you may be aware of the fact that we have acquired both the above British piano companies and its only tangible assets which are its proprietary brand names such as Challen, Barratt & Robinson, Witton & Witton, Schreiber, Kastner, Kingswood, Skerratt Bros., Brasted and Ministrelle. For the past 26 years since we first licensed from its owners their Challen and Barratt & Robinson brand names in 1985 and subsequently acquired both their companies and all of its intangible trade marks in 1991 we have so far been marketing worldwide only the Challen and Barratt & Robinson brand names. Vienna Music, China."

Thank you for the answer, Mr. Kibby.
Could you please tell me, who is the owner of Brasted brand and technologies? I inherited old Brasted piano and impressed of it's wondefrul sound. I'd like to contact the company that produce these pianos in moden times (not important what trademark they use).

[Bill Kibby]

I think I already answered that, but the pianos they produce are not original Brasted pianos anymore.

[PP3333]

I think I already answered that, but the pianos they produce are not original Brasted pianos anymore.

Thank you.