Hapsburg Beale & Co. Ltd. Imperial

[jdyet1]

Hi, I'm just trying to find out how old my piano is. I've looked everywhere on the internet, even on the website that Beale pianos are listed on with the serial number and year of production, it's not there. The serial is 12032. The keyboard is 7 octaves with 85 keys.

[Bill Kibby]

All I can say is if it is a Beale number, it is before 1905, perhaps 1890s. If you can post photos to show us what the WHOLE piano looks like, we may be able to tell you more. Have a look at my page at
http://pianohistory.info/datemarks.html

[Colin Nicholson]

It's always a good idea to say where you found these numbers?.... if on the top of the cabinet (inside the top lid), facing the ceiling.... its usually a stock/cabinet/ part number.... and the serial number may be inside the piano. Best to take a photo of this number 12032, and send it to us, to confirm if its a serial number or not. The internet is probably correct, but have you "looked everywhere" inside the piano ? top & bottom/ cast frame/ soundboard/ inner cabinet wall/ behind bass strings/ near sustain pedal lift rod (left side).... and numbers on piano keys are not always reliable.

[jdyet1]

Hi, thanks for the replies.
I found the numbers on the top left hand side of the piano under the lid.
Here's some photos: https://31.media.tumblr.com/00388aeaafd ... 1_1280.jpg

https://24.media.tumblr.com/67acfc32ef3 ... 2_1280.jpg[/img

https://24.media.tumblr.com/8a446307a9b ... 3_1280.jpg

I have to link the photo's because they're to big and my computer isn't loading them on.

[jdyet1]

Hi thanks for the replies.

Here's some photo's (I have to link them because they're too big):

https://24.media.tumblr.com/00388aeaafd ... o1_500.jpg

https://31.media.tumblr.com/67acfc32ef3 ... o2_500.jpg

https://24.media.tumblr.com/8a446307a9b ... o3_500.jpg

[Bill Kibby]

It certainly looks like 1890s, a suggestion of early Art Nouveau in the curves. Some sources say these are pre-1893, but I have much earlier numbers on file with the same name.