Bentley Upright, does anyone know much about them?

[LKShadow]

My Dad bought this little piano when I was 9 in the hope of him having lessons, needless to say it never happened and it was me who played it. I am 18 and just curious to try and know a bit more about my piano really, it seems hard to find much info out about them.

I wouldn't be brave enough to take the last key off and look underneath, so would be going by serial numbers and have a photo of one on the frame at the back but I am doubting that is the piano's actual number? I think there are others there but shame on me there are spiders crawling about inside her and I daren't have a look until I have cleaned them out.

I have a receipt that came with her from the previous owners and she was bought on 16th September 1991 for £1675 with a 5 year guarantee as 'second hand'. In about November 2000 (I think) we paid something like £600 or £800 for her (feels wrong to call her 'it'..!!)

From the photos I will attach, does anyone have any idea roughly on her age? The stool is placed right in front of the pedals accidentally but they are rounded not rectangular and there is just two..! I have seen a few other Bentleys but none that have the same wood grain as mine and all have been 1950's or earlier I think...Some look as though they have a covering on the wood so its not the actual grain you see??

I would be grateful for any real information really, if anyone has any on Bentleys in general, are they common, did they come in different types of wood (most seem to be similar to mine and quite a bright colour but I don't know much about wood to even know what she is made of..!)

Photos:


Keeps cutting the right side of this one though don't know why

Thanks very much to anyone who might have any vague clue about her

[Bill Kibby]

That certainly is the serial number, and why not let your tuner deal with the spiders? All I can tell you is that among the Bentleys I have tuned over the years...

#138174 was dated 1977.

#146363 was dated 1980.

That seems to put yours around 1979. Information about Bentleys can be found elsewhere on this website.

[LKShadow]

That's brilliant thank you very much

We are due to move house in August so no tuner will be out to see to her before. Speaking of which, do you happen to know how worthwhile it is to use a proper company who specialise in transporting pianos? When we bought this the previous owner organised for the piano come on a removal truck but no idea if I should sort out special transport, is damage likely in a typical removal lorry travelling three hours etc?

I will need to find a decent tuner, the one up here we used I was never that keen on so will have to keep a look out for one down in Essex

[Colin Nicholson]

you should be able to locate a piano removal company either in yellow pages, or online. I would recommend a recognised firm if the piano is in good condition. Piano Logistics also travel country-wide, based in Milton Keynes (next door to Kawai pianos).

When you find one, they may ask you about distance, and more important, access - i.e. steps, sharp turns/ porch or vestibule entrances etc. If its a 2-3 step up into the house, and "straight-through" access, no problem, but if any tight corners, then the piano may need to be up-ended on piano trolley wheels. Also, its a 2-man job to move a piano (not 4!!). Some piano companies also have portable ramps so they can wheel it straight off a tail-lift into your house.

I hope this helps.

[LKShadow]

That's fantastic Colin thank you very much