Pohlmann and Sons upright

[asienka_ms]

Does anyone know anything about these pianos beyond history which I did found? I am interested the their quality/construction/sound as pianos as they hardly feature on any websites talking about common english manufacturers and their quality (e.g. Roberts pianos) I have the serial number 52366 and photo. Can anyone help?

[Bill Kibby]

I doubt if dates are available for their numbers, but I will check. Otherwise, I can only say they are not "common", I don't think I have ever tuned one since 1963.

[asienka_ms]

Thank you very much. wow! 1963...... that either means they are not that great or a hidden gem. Do you happen to have an opinion of them in terms of quality?

joanna

[Bill Kibby]

I had a look at my tuning records, and there was one very average Pohlmann made around 1898, originally £55. How can I form an opinion based on just one very old one I tuned in 1978? Do we even know if Pohlmann made them?

[asienka_ms]

Thank you. Very true! Other than the name on the piano saying pohlmann.... the owners said they bought it from piano restorer 10 years ago for £1,100.

Thank you

[doctorbaz]

Hello! I might be able to assist with your Pohlmann upright!

From the casework and style of the piano, I'd date it to the 1930s, which was an interesting and relevant time in the history of Pohlmann.

Pohlmann was an established maker based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. In 1934 the firm decided to close down manufacturing, and came to an agreement with Danemann of London to manufacture instruments on their behalf under license. All the patterns and templates to make the Pohlmann instruments were moved to the Danemann factory. Pohlmann kept their retail store and sold many of the Danemann manufactured pianos from there.

The case of your piano bears a striking resemblance to many of the Art Deco inspired pianos Danemann were known for pre-WW2, so if I had to bet on it I'd say yours was a post 1934 Danemann manufactured Pohlmann!

The other interesting thing to come out of the Pohlmann/Danemann arrangement was the rights Danemann acquired to use Pohlmann scale designs in their own instruments. As a young man, Henry Pohlmann was sent to study piano design in the Grotrian Steinweg factory in Germany. When he returned to Yorkshire, he came up with an excellent upright scale design which is likely to have been inspired by what he saw and learned at Grotrian Steinweg. This scale design was quickly incorporated into many of Danemann's own pianos, including not only uprights but the two large and well regarded grands designed by Peter Danemann in the 1950s.

(Info taken from "Five London Piano Makers" by Alastair Laurence, where more detail on Pohlmann and Danemann can be found.)

[doctorbaz]

In fact, if I'm right, that ties in nicely with the Danemann serial numbers from that period. 52366 would place it as mid 1930s if Danemann did make it, as I think we can assume they did.

[asienka_ms]

Wow, thank you so much!! It explains why I could not find any information about this..........

I appreciate you taking your time to look into this.

Regards, JOANNA

[doctorbaz]

Glad to help Joanna, it's always nice to know a bit about what you've got!

Danemanns were well made and amongst the best of British pianos.

[doctorbaz]

I've been doing a bit more reading around Pohlmann this evening (I have an interest in this topic anyway as I own one of the large Danemann grands which incorporates the Pohlmann scale design!).

I found this blog post written by a tuner in Yorkshire which adds some fascinating additional detail on Pohlmann and Sons.

http://pianotuninginyork.blogspot.com/2 ... d.html?m=1

[juanvanzyl]

Hi I am from South Africa, my mother bought me a Pohlmann piano when i was about 10 or 11 years old. I still have this piano and want to know hoe much I can sell this piano for? If any body can help me please.. Regards Juan

[juanvanzyl]

Hi I am from South Africa, my mother bought me a Pohlmann piano when i was about 10 or 11 years old. I still have this piano and want to know hoe much I can sell this piano for? If any body can help me please.. Regards Juan