Anonymous piano (Brasted?)

[Celia]

Hello, I am trying to find out who made my piano, bought by my grandfather, probably new in the about 1930 in Doncaster. The manufacturers name was lost when the piano was painted white! What do you think my chances are - I've got a few numbers and think Shenstone and Co may have made the cellulose keys.

Would appreciate any advice - the piano may not be English.

[Bill Kibby]

I apologise if this appears twice, I pressed the wrong button! I might be able to tell you some things from photos, but it is unlikely that I would know the name, with over twenty thousand to choose from. However, Shenstone keys do indicate British manufacture. Proceed as if there was a name, and it was an alias. See
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/piano ... iases.html

Also, try
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/datem ... ianos.html

[Celia]

Thanks for your suggestions. Have looked at the web pages etc. I'll take some photos soon - the action is away at the tuner's for a few weeks. In the meantime I'll try to remember the name I used to see whilst practising!

Regards
Celia

[Bill Kibby]

I suppose you've tried carefully scraping the paint off?

[Celia]

Better than that! I stripped the piano about twenty years ago and discovered a nice rosewood veneer which I just put a clear varnish on. I think it looks better than it did originally!! The tuner was quite impressed I'd done it myself!! I wish my mother had made a note of the manufacturer before she got the white paint out!

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, it would be nice if everyone who removed a name transfer wrote the details inside, but it doesn't often happen.

[Celia]

Hello again Bill
These are the numbers that I have found:

a)1948 appears on top right side of piano under lid (piano number?)
b)288 appears on top left side (part number?
c)560 appears on bottom right of frame
d)37786 appears on back of wood frame to the left
e) LFMN 28105 and name Mr Vaux - (my grandfather who bought the piano)appears in pencil on top key
f) as already mentioned Shenstone & Co Lte stamped on bottom key.

Is this info likely to be good enough?

I've taken some photos inside and out which can be emailed if you think you will be able to help.

Can you perform miracles?!
Regards
Celia

[Bill Kibby]

Miracles take a bit longer! By all means send me the photos, but I will have twenty thousand names to choose from!

archives@pianogen.fsnet.co.uk

[Celia]

I couldn't ask you to search through that many names and the research could get too expensive, so I think I'll live with an anonymous piano! The work we're having done on it should hopefully see me to the end of my piano playing years and knowing who made it would have been nice but isn't really important at the end of the day.

Thanks for your help and suggestions - I'll tell others about your website. If I come up with any more info I'll let you know.

Regards
Celia

[Bill Kibby]

Sorry if I didn't make myself understood, I didn't mean I had to search through them all, I just meant that the chances of me recognising the piano are fairly poor!

[Celia]

Oh I see!

In that case I will email you some photos - just in case something looks familiar. I did find a 1910 Collard and Collard piano on the Virtual Pianoshop site that looks rather similar to mine Ref 004390.

[Celia]

The saga continues!

My piano tuner has found a name on the action - Braested (?spelling). Couldn't find this as a manufacturer on any of these pages.

Would this just be the action maker or could it be an alias?

Celia

[Barrie Heaton]

Could that be Brasted In 1870 Harry Brasted started up his piano making firm, with a compass of over seven octaves

Barrie,

[Celia]

Oh silly me!

Yes, I'm sure it should be Brasted. Thanks, Celia

[Bill Kibby]

See references to Brasted at
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/piano ... iases.html

[Barrie Heaton]

Oh silly me!

Yes, I'm sure it should be Brasted. Thanks, Celia

This is all I have on them..

Brasted did make there own pianos but at Bill has pointed out they were not well know in own right they were established in 1870 in 1916 the company made parts for biplanes to help the war effort In 1925 Brasteds bought up Eavestaffs. In c1928 Brasted merged with Boyd Ltd.,. In 1934 Brasteds introduced the mini piano. Percy Brasted had discovered a miniature piano, made by Messrs. Lunholm of Stockholm from whom Brasteds bought the rights. The piano was then made only in England, Lundholm contracted to
import them and receive a royalty on sales. Percy Brasted gave it the name Mini Piano and it is sometimes claimed that it was his invention, but it will be remembered that in the 1920's Hicks had contracted to make a small piano, strung at the back, of German design. The Mini Piano appeared in all kinds of finishes and when coloured ones arrived in Sheffield and Barnes' Music shop in Oxford Street, London, the police were called in control the gazing crowds.

At the end of the year sales topped 7,000 at 28-38 guineas each. Early models had the wrestplank below the keyboard and the drop-action at the rear, so that the hammers struck forwards towards the player. Wedging was unnecessary, as half the strings were monochords and the rest bichords.
The wrestpins passed through the wrestplank and were double ended to allow for stringing at the back. If a string has to be replaced, it will be appreciated
that the coils have to be put on in the opposite direction and if the piano is chipped up from the back the pins are turned anti-clockwise to raise the pitch. Also, from this position, the bass will be on the right hand side and treble to the left. Later Jack Davis, who worked for Brasteds, designed a flanged iron frame to which the case would be built, enabling higher string tension and reducing the width by about 8 inches.

The braceless back was soon copied by other makers. With the soundboard now forming the back of the piano, the action could be put in its traditional
position, but of course, below the keys. Wire were attached to the backs of the keys, to pull up the wippens and trichord stringing was re-introduced.
Lastly, to achieve longer bass strings, a sort of triangular action was made, with the treble strike line being horizontal, but the bass section tapering down to the left. The mini piano, and more particularly the early type, has often been
criticised, but nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that it did much to maintain and even stimulate interest in an industry which was being hit by the Gramophone and the Radio. The name Eavestaff was used on the fall on the instrument. Americans usually know small uprights by the name spinet,
which is neither accurate nor helpful.

The Challen company ceased independent manufacture in 1959, with the name going to the Brasted brothers.

At the end of 1970 Eavestaff pianos were marketed by a new company formed by John Brasted. The pianos were to be made under licence by Kemble & Co. Like Challens for some years previously, Eavestaff pianos
were made at the Barratt & Robinson factory, Hermitage Road, Harringay.

Brasteds did not publish serial numbers for their make of piano but they did keep the Eavestaff ones up top date as far as we know If you send some
photos to Bill and a small donation he will give you a good idea of when it was made

Hope this was some help I have changed the subject to reflect the name of the piano

Barrie,,

[Celia]

That was fascinating stuff - thanks very much - must have taken you ages to type all that.

Although mine isn't a mini piano it was funny to read about the coloured ones - apart from spending part of its life painted white, it was also painted orange for a while!!!

I've already emailed some photos to Bill and will post on a donation.

Thanks again
Celia

[Bill Kibby]

I can only estimate the date by the number 37786, which suggests about 1924.

[Barrie Heaton]

That was fascinating stuff - thanks very much - must have taken you ages to type all that.

I just copied bits form the main history page I did and still doing when I have the time.
http://www.uk-piano.org/history/history_1.html



Barrie,