an old LANGBEIN on the other side of the world

[fil]

just found this awesome [but bloody hard to navigate] site.. from Auckland NZ.

I have the most fabulous LANGBEIN pianloa - which was converted to a piano many. many years ago & has been in my close family for [gosh] 50+ years - but the twist:

I'm in New Zealand - this beast [she is heavy like no other piano] was a store-front feature in my family's retail store here in NZ back in the late 1800's early 1900's - so she may well have arrived by sailboat. Wow.

My father was a great 'social' pianist & took this thing home from the department store & it took charge of our lounge for as long as I can remember.. still have it & yes, I can plonk out a tune too.

Just curious whether it is a specimen [or not] - she has a gorgeous 'thorough' tone to her. In need of some TLC these days & may well need parts - I suppose I am kidding myself huh ?

A comment from someone who knows something about old pianos & whether or not this girl [they're always girls aren't they?] is special - like really special - would be wonderful ?

Cheers all.

phil

[Colin Nicholson]

Welcome Phil....

By the time some people have reached this forum, they have no hair left, deep scratch marks on their face and need medical attention to convince them that their treasured piano is just an " unknown wooden box with strings and hammers" .....

do you want me to book you in?

After some research through my Pierce Piano Atlas (like a yellow pages for pianos), sorry to say the name does not exist - GGRRHH! (or anything close) This doesn't mean you have a 'no' piano.... just somewhere along the line, the name slipped through the net when it came to registration. Many pianos have "Stencil" names, names completely made up from scratch, some that resemble other well-known maker names, others that look like town/city names/ composers/ family members etc.
Also double check the spelling (sorry, but you DID spell "Pianola" wrong!)

It is likely the piano is a Langbein - check inside the piano aswell for the name on the cast frame.
Also, many piano names are sometimes the retailer's name, or shop name - this is usually a small badge or sticker in the corner of the keyboard.... and some retailers claim they manufactured the piano by scrubbing off the real name (for French polishing), then apply their own Dick Dastardly name! For example, see the listing below - "Langelier" .. the name doesn't exist, they were just piano distributors (same as retailers).... read it yourself - click to enlarge.

If the player mechanism is missing, or has various missing/ broken parts, then usually that part of it is SCRAP.... and anything missing would need to be hand-made or cast from a prototype etc. If the piano can still be played without the player unit, then great! .... book a tuner in to give it a tune, but don't expect miracles. If the player unit is missing completely including bellow pedals/ stack/ spool reel/ chains etc.... then it cannot be replaced. If you have it tuned, remove the unit - it may cost you extra to have it removed by a tuner, then decide later if you want it putting back in.

Old pianolas (correctly called 'Player pianos') - often fail in working because they spring various air leaks from bellows, hoses, pipes and small diaphragm parts such as valves/ leather components.... and I wouldn't know anyone in NZ who could repair it.... that's if a simple repair is needed?

Here is a list of piano names from Lam to Lark.... some have stars, these are stencil pianos, usually prior to World War I. Some have serial numbers and dates (e.g. Lancaster), but many are just "mentioned" and at one point, a small factory was set up building a small number of pianos, some of them labelled, some not...... it's as simple as that.

So.... I don't think your piano is "special".... otherwise it would be mentioned here in this bible for pianos....
Have a look for yourself >>

Lam_Lark

Hope that helps,
Colin

[Silverwood Pianos]

Beadle & Langbein was a company in London I believe.

Here is an advertisement for one of them from a couple of years back;

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/a ... -423901864

[fil]

Colin & Dan - thank you so much for your considered responses.. Your points are well received & make a lot of sense.. She is definitely a LANGBEIN though I should take the time to do some surgery & see if there are any 'better' indentifying marks within.

Certainly in need of an overhaul to restore her glory.

Thank you guys.

Phil

[Colin Nicholson]

If you copy & paste your wording into the "Piano History" section, under a new heading - Bill might be able to give you some more information. Yes, Beale and Langbein are in the book, but no dates.... just "London, England". (The book was written in New Mexico, USA). The name Beale may have been added later. In many cases though, a photo is needed - see first post at the top of Piano Advice for adding photos.
Depending on condition, sadly, many old pianos cannot be restored and would cost thousands to do.

Colin