James Smith & Son Ltd Liverpool

[JenB]

Dear Bill,
Please could you tell me any history you might know regarding this piano and its maker. Barrie tuned it the other day and we took some photos for your records. We think its 1925 and its not a co-op piano. The label has been removed at some point. Many thanks in advance.Jennifer

[Bill Kibby]

The date is clear, and may well be when it was made, or when it was first tuned. It looks entirely in keeping with 1925, but no archives are available to trace it. Smith claimed to be a maker, but by the twenties, the firm was only listed as musical instrument dealers. The Herrburger Brooks action indicates a date after 1919. I presume Barrie will have looked for a key-frame label, so your best hope of confirmation is perhaps to look inside the bottom of the piano and see if the iron frame has any markings. This might also provide clues to who actually made it.

Interestingly, they dropped the "Ltd." at some point.

According to information kindly supplied by the Royal Warrant Holders' Association, Smith's warrant was for piano tuning, he was not specified in 1897 as one of the royal piano makers.

The company is said to have been formed in 1825, yet they do not appear in the Liverpool directory for 1828.

In 2011, the company said "We are indeed the same James Smith & Son ( Music Sellers ) Ltd who traded at Lord St Liverpool The company was founded in 1825 and was taken over by my Great Grandfather Ernest Sidney Wright in 1912. The company was very strong in musical instruments and supplied Cunard liners with grand pianos in its heyday and the showrooms displayed over 24 grand pianos at its height.Music Grade exams were held in the showroom and concerts by the famed concert pianists of the day were regularly held. Sadly all the company records were destroyed in the blitz of Liverpool in 1942 and the family only hold records since then. Over the years we have changed and are now TV and Audio retailers with six shops in the area north of Liverpool at Southport and surrounding areas. Our last piano was sold in 1974 and we ended our piano tuning contract with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra around that time See our website at smithstv.co.uk

[JenB]

Bill please find attached photo of frame stamp. The label under the keys has been removed at some point. Just found another stamp on wooden frame W.Cooper. Many thanks

[Bill Kibby]

Cooper was probably the back-maker who signed off his work in whatever factory it was. 214 encircled is a frame mark that comes up sometimes between about 1900 and 1932, known as a "214 scale", some have B or BA, some are in pianos that were made by Brasted, but I don't know if the B stands for Brasted.

Is it possible that there is a date somewhere below the encircled mark?