George Russell Cottage Piano

[kai]

Hi all, Trying to find the age of a piano.. Can you help? It is a George Russell walnut veneer piano with the serial number 8428.

Here's a pic

Also, woodworm... Anybody got any experience of treating this on a piano and. It isnt serious, but if left unchecked, I fear it will.......

Any help would be wonderfully recieved and greatly appreciated..

thanks

Kai

[Bill Kibby]

The pierced fretwork stopped being used round about 1880, and Russell's numbers are thought to have been around 9000 in 1880, so I am guessing this is from the 1870s, but no precise date is available. Have a look at the top item on this forum - London's Cottage Pianos. Also, follow my link below to information about clues inside the piano.

Where is the woodworm? If there is fresh dust coming out, the beetles could be chewing away at the timber for up to 6 years, so there may not be much left. You can't use any method that heats the piano to high temperatures, unless you want to burn the piano, so I suggest an aerosol spray that will inject liquid into the holes under pressure.

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Lovin that Joanna!!
How does sound and feel?
Where did it come from?
How long have you had it?
Thanks for sharing the photo

[kai]

thanks for that. The research ive put into it does indicate the 1850's but needed not so much a rock solid confirmation, but a second opinion that at least puts my initial one right on the money, especially a well informed opinion as yours bill!!!

It is a beautiful piano, and had to fight at the auction for this one realyl heavily and put a few dealers noses out of joint when they realised that they aint going to get this one!!!!!

Sounds beautiful, but still needs a bit of tuning and work such as cleaning, but no real major restoration is needed at all and, as for the woodworm, no new signs at all adn I believe it has been treated at some point, but no certificate so, ive got specialist antiques guy who did my Bed, wardrobes and dressing table (all 1850's again) to give it a once over...

Ill get some more pics for your to pour over shortly....

with thanks

Kai

[Bill Kibby]

If you have read my Numbers page you will see that research on the internet, and especially about serial numbers, is full of problems, not least of which is that they quote a book that is wrong. Having said that, there are cottage pianos from the 1850s that resemble cottage pianos from the 1870s.

Can you tell me the complete, exact wording of the name and address etc. on the piano. This could narrow down the date.

[kai]

Thats the main and only logo on the piano.

p9.jpg (17.97 KiB) Viewed 12035 times

I hope this helps

Kai

[Bill Kibby]

It helps a lot, Russell moved to Stanhope Street shortly after 1865, certainly by 1869. Shortly before 1886, the firm became known as Russell & Co., this probably puts the piano between 1866-1884, and a mean date would be "circa 1875".

[kai]

ok, so given that its perfectly tuned, cleaned and in excellent condition with a woodworm certificate and guarantee, whats the rough ballpark figure that its worth? Not that im planning on selling at all, its a beautiful piece, but it would be nice to know in an antiques roadshow kind of way!!! (And seeing that I couldnt transport it to hartland abbey when they were there...)

thanks

Kai

[Bill Kibby]

Sadly, although I am fascinated by Victorian pianos, they rarely fetch as much as ninety pounds at auctions in Britain, unless they have been professionally restored, indeed many do not reach twenty pounds. The Piano History Centre is offered several each year for nothing, to save them from destruction. Recent similar items on Ebay varied from 99p to hundreds of dollars, although I don't know if anyone really paid that much, the stated prices are not "values".

I find it unlikely that a piano of this age is pefectly in tune.

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

The cabinet on your piano does look particularly night and I'm amazed that the fretting isn't damaged so you might find someone falling in love with it might pay £200 - £300 but sadly Bill's assessment is accurate.