Dale, Forty piano

[Klaasoe]

I am living in Holland and just bought a ' Dale, Forty' piano. The copper background plate gives as number: 45842 and within I found a sticker saying: ' John Britton, antique and piano experts, 574-575 Warwick RO, Birmingham 11, 021-706-0285.
The number that should be seen under the wooden top plate has been painted over #%$@$%^.
Therefore, can anyone estimate for me the age of the piano? Would be nice.

Nicolas Oedzes
Sneek

[Bill Kibby]

It is not usually possible to date Dale Forty pianos by numbers, because they were made in several different factories. Some have coded numbers, but this number doesn't work out. Without photos, I can't tell you anything just by the name. Can you upload some images here, or email them to me?

[Bill Kibby]

I would estimate the age of this piano at 1918, but the sconces (projecting candle-holders) are probably much older. Pianos like this are hard to give away here in Britain. Like so many others, the email address you gave me does not work. Have a look at http://pianogen.org/british.html

[Klaasoe]

Dears sir Kibby,

Wow, quite an old lady this piano! Many thanks for having a look at it by the way. Being Dutch I do not really understand the phrase 'are hard to give away these days' . Literally translated in Dutch it means that nobody would want to have a piano like this. However I have the odd fdeeling that this is a sort of saying in English and that it means the opposite, that they are hard to get?

Nicolas Oedzes
Holland
Sneek

[Bill Kibby]

No, I'm afraid it means that here in Britain, it is difficult to sell such pianos, and almost as difficult just giving them away for nothing.

Computers are not my first subject, so can you tell me why, when I reply to an email like yours and many others, the message is returned with a permanent error? I don't usually have any way of asking.

[Klaasoe]

Dear sir Kibby,

The webbased forum handles mail by your browser and I think some limitations have been activated in your browser.

Nicolas