Minipiano

[cindyri1]

I have a 1934 Eavestaff Pianette, Minipiano, incription on the right side: Hardman, Peck & Co, NY.

Can you tell me something about this piano and it's worth? Thank you.

[Bill Kibby]

This forum is about history, we don't do valuations. You say it is a 1934 piano, but as I understand it, it was some years before Hardman Peck began making them under license. This one appears to have the tuning pins in the normal position, so it would not be a 1934 mini.

[vernon]

Bill
looks pretty 1934-ish to me.
If it were offered to me for free it would be" no thanks. sorry"

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

It is very easy to give general valuations for pianos like this. Here is a rough guide based on my experience and personal opinion

£0 - to the trade (they may charge you to take it away for you)
£30 - If you pop it on ebay for £1 no reserve it may go for somewhere between £30-£60 depending on how well you talk it up
£100 - To an unsuspecting local buyer responding to a newspaper advert (poor soul!)

[Gill the Piano]

If I have customers trying to sell one i get them to sell it as an Art Deco antique rather than as a piano.

[Colin Nicholson]

This is a similar shaped Eavestaff I restored for a customer a few years ago, but note the attractive chrome banding, and 'real' chrome fluted electric lights!
Very Art Decor of the 1930's. It was previously riddled with moth damage, and the customer didn't want to part with it.... you might like this one Kari?

Also, here is the mechanism - only accessible from the back of the piano - need to be a contortionist to tune these!!

see separate post for photo

[Colin Nicholson]

Here we go.... lots going on here!!

Complete restoration!!

Note Kari, this is not 'over-damped' like your piano, the lift rods here obscuring the mechanism are to 'lift' the levers, and this sort of works 'back to front' !!
Viewed from the rear here, the bass strings are on the right, and the treble strings are on the left - weird eh? !!

[Colin Nicholson]

here are a couple of photos 'before' restoration
Some serious insect damage here on the hammers!....

unrestore2.jpg (43.37 KiB) Viewed 18110 times

[Colin Nicholson]

.... and the green back check felt - most of it hanging off or missing!!

.... equivalent of Steak n chips here for these maggots!

[Colin Nicholson]

Cheers Kari. The piano was moved over to mine around 2003/2004 - and from your 'neck of the woods' - Liverpool area, but can't remember area or address.
I also got an electrician in to re-wire the candle bulbs & screw-in fittings.... what a job!!

Although it 'worked & played' the same as any other acoustic piano, with it having only bi-chords in the treble (and some were just one string) - the overall sound wasn't brilliant.... but "mutton dressed as lamb" !! she loved & caressed it when she saw it.
Its too far really for me to tune it, and takes about 20 mins just to get the back off, tilt the whole keyboard & action to prepare for tuning - but attractive looking thing.

[Gill the Piano]

Please don't post pictures of Eavestaff mimis without warning, Colin. I suffer from flashbacks and post traumatic stress syndrome...

[Colin Nicholson]

Me too!! after restoring one - never again, unless loads of ££££££££ !

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

I took one of these in part-exchange last week and Dad has claimed it for the creche room at his church. My sister is going to use it to play nursery rhymes to the toddlers. So they are good for something... but they hold their value even less than they hold their tuning haha.

[Bill Kibby]

We have one that was very kindly donated to the Piano History Centre as a display piece - a slice of piano history that provides interesting comparison with Pape's Piano Console of roughly a century earlier. Interesting, but not very musical!

Gill, come round any time if you want to see it!

[Gill the Piano]

We have one that was very kindly donated to the Piano History Centre as a display piece - a slice of piano history that provides interesting comparison with Pape's Piano Console of roughly a century earlier. Interesting, but not very musical!

Gill, come round any time if you want to see it!

Not without class A drugs of some sort, ta...