H. Wolfframm, Dresden Upright, serial no. 5959

[tjaard]

We have this upright piano and would appreciate any information you might have. It was used as a teaching piano so is in good though not prestine condition.

[Bill Kibby]

I don't think I can add any more than you can read at
http://pianogen.org/british.html

This seems a typical Edwardian piano, I have no dates of Wolfframm numbers, but I would have expected a number around 18000, perhaps it is inside somewhere.

Is this the same Wolfframm I was asked about by email this week?

[Colin Nicholson]

The serial number #5959 suggests a date of around 1890 (but the piano atlas book may be wrong or misleading).
Typically a German Edwardian upright with the usual decorations and truss work of the period - possibly veneered in walnut (photos not that good to determine the correct veneer). Ivory keys, which some look as though they have been stuck back on in any old fashion.

Simply because this was a 'teaching' piano will not automatically assume its in good condition throughout. A quick glimpse inside reveals very old and possibly the worst condition ever for the piano strings and wrest pins themselves. The metal sheeting is also just a 'cover up' for the old traditional exposed wrest planks with a three-quarter iron frame - so tuning stability will not be at its best now..... and a definite 'no no' for any reputable teacher, though it may have been tuned regularly, I doubt if the mechanism has received any maintenance?

The name 'Polliack & Co' reveals the wholesaler's name of the shop/premises - but has no connection with the piano company - and most trade names are not able to be traced. So by this name on the fallboard reveals that this piano has ended up somewhere in Africa during its life?

Further clues may be shown inside if you remove the front panel.

There are also other variations on this name such as Wolfframm or Wolffmann, but all suggest the same company, founded around 1872. The last recorded serial number was #28605 dated 1960 - but again, may not be very accurate.

(Bill, there are some serial numbers in Pierce.... are these accurate?)

[Bill Kibby]

Mine doesn't have Wolfframm numbers. I refuse to buy a modern copy, I am so disgusted by some of the rubbish they reproduced from Michel, as explained at
http://pianogen.org/numbers.html

[tjaard]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes the piano were sold by Polliack&Co that stated life around 1876? and still is aorund. I did contact them but their records of years back is gone and they don't deal in pianos anymore.

The fact that it was a teaching piano just stresses the point that it was used a lot and thought it still is being used, at home, today it has been scarred on the outside and therefore not in a prestine condition.

We'll open the front panel and add photos of what we find.