Laurent Upright from Gilberts

[Bowmanm53]

Hello

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the Laurent Upright Piano.

I am looking to have this piano tuned and refurbished/repaired.

It is fairly old as it was given to my grandparents as a wedding gift over 50 years ago, I have had this piano for approx 15 years but it has several deep scratches and is in bad state of repair.

I would love some background information as all I have at the moment is;

Thos.J.Gilbert, 304 Romford Road, Forest Gate, London East. and the small amount of personal history I mentioned above. I would love to know more about the manufacturer and the date if possible. This information would help me when looking for a repairer/tuner.

If anyone could be of any help it would be most appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Michelle :)

[Bill Kibby]

The 1912 Stratford Directory lists Gilbert Thomas John, pianoforte maker, 242 & 304 Romford Road. My first thought about Gilberts was that I believed Berry Pianos took over their shop at Romford Road, so it is interesting that one of the few Laurent pianos I have identified seems to have been made by Berry in 1927.

1985BerryGilbert58j.jpg (46.12 KiB) Viewed 16129 times

However, the Berry shop I managed in the sixties was 819 Romford Road, and this Gilbert shop they took over was in Westcliff!

We could tell you more if you post photos to show what the piano looks like.

Piano names are often meaningless, as I explain at
http://pianohistory.info/names.html

[Bowmanm53]

Hello Bill,

Thank you so much for getting back to me, this piano really means a lot to mean and I would be very keen to find out some more information.

I have added a few photos as requested - if you could spare a few moments of your time to take a look - I would be most interested in anything you could tell me.

Kind Regards
Michelle :)

[Bowmanm53]

.... And a few more

[Bowmanm53]

I couldn't find a serial number but I did find these numbers - if they are of any interest?

Thank you again for taking the time to look at my piano

[Bill Kibby]

The Names page I mentioned will explain a number of things that apply to this piano.

The iron frame does not extend to the top of the piano, but a separate headbar has been added, with Gilbert's name cast into it to give the impression he made it. Probably, he just bought it in from an anonymous wholesaler.

In more modern times, its outer case has been modernised, with rounded shoulders, plain panels, and curved columns, whereas the short toe-blocks show that it originally would have had trusses.

The 290A mark on the frame occurs on another "Laurent" piano dated 1927 on the keys, and can also be found in Berry pianos of the 1930s. The London NE address on yours suggests a date before 1917, when the suffix numbers were added. I would guess it was made just before the 1914 war, so have a look at
http://pianogen.org/edwardian.html

Have you seen
http://pianogen.org/datemarks.html

[Bowmanm53]

Hello Bill

Thank you for the information and the web links which I have begun to read, some of the information available is very interesting.

.... Now to find someone local to re-tune and refurbish.

Kind Regards
Michelle

[NewAge]

I note that your piano is straight-strung and over-damped, so you may be advised to think well before spending large sums on refurbishing.

[Bill Kibby]

Where is local?

[Bowmanm53]

Hello Bill

I have absolutely no idea what that means with regards to being straight-strung and over-damped.

I live in Milton Keynes.

Kind Regards
Michelle

[Bill Kibby]

This is a piano history forum, I am involved because I am interested in old pianos, but some people in the trade would like to scrap every piano that does not come up to modern specifications, so it can be hard to get back the money you spend.

If you are interested, the types of stringing layout are explained about halfway down the page at
http://pianogen.org/edwardian.html

and the positions of the dampers are explained at
http://pianogen.org/actions.html

[Wazani]

Hello everyone,

I have an old piano and I’m seeking your expertise to learn more about its origin and history. It bears the plaque F.W. Hall & Co. with the address 67, Meadow Lane, Leeds, and it could have been manufactured in the 1920s.

Here are the key details I have discovered so far:
• Additional plaque behind the strings with the following inscriptions:
• Patente Nos
• 16794-09
• 1742.20
• 1762.31
What do these numbers mean? Are they related to patents or a specific production series?
• The name Laurent is inscribed on the piano. Could this correspond to the manufacturer or the artisan who made it?
• The serial number is 93945.
• Another plaque mentions F.W. Hall & Co., Piano House, Meadow Lane, Leeds.

This piano was given to my father over thirty years ago, and it was already old at that time. Could this help in determining an exact manufacturing period? I’m attaching a few photos so you can assess its condition and features.

If you have any insights on these inscriptions, the serial number, or any other leads to explore, your help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much for your time and expertise!