Metzler piano from Howlett

[Soccerdad]

My wife acquired this piano about 20 years ago for next to nothing. I have recently begun trying to find out what I can about it, but I have not been able to do much research to this point. Can anyone provide any information as to the piano's age, origin, whether it's common or unique, etc. so I know if we have a nice piece or just another piano?

[Bill Kibby]

Metzler's was a very well-known music firm in London, and although we have no evidence that they actually had a piano factory, their name appears on many pianos. The retailer, William Howlett, was the most important piano name in East Anglia, and claimed to have been established in 1820. The piano itself is typical of the 1870s, some people would say it is a "Cottage Piano" while others would say that hexagonal legs and trailing castors are required for that. Here in Britain, antique pianos have very little cash value, and the Piano History Centre is offered several each year for nothing, to save them from destruction. Have a look at this link...
http://pianogen.org/victorian.html

I can offer you a ful researched report through the Piano History Centre, but there will be a charge.