Greetings,
My name is Wayne and I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada. My wife and I were antique-browsing recently and discovered an upright piano at a used furniture shop. It was labelled as being antique and the asking price is $1,995 (canadian currency). It has a burlwood veneer, two foot pedals, some intricate black carved woodwork (floral pattern I believe) in the centre panel above the keys, and there appeared to be similar woodwork carvings on the two side panels, but they are missing. The name of the maker listed on the under-side of the "keyboard cover" is "Milne". I tried looking for serial numbers, dates etc, but was unsuccessful in locating any.
We saw this very same piano in the same shop back in early 2004, and at the time, my wife and I both noticed this elaborate thin "hutch" (burlwood also), that adorned the top of the piano. I don't recall dimensions, but it did run the entire width of the piano and was perhaps two feet tall or taller. It had what looked like side shelves and candle sconces and the "arms" were carved in the same style as the legs of the piano. When we recently saw the piano again, the top piece was missing but there are 3 holes on the top of the piano, near the rear, which appear to be old and look like they could have held dowelling of some sort to attach the missing top piece. The new owner of the shop claims to have no knowledge of this missing top piece, and was in fact surprised when I showed her the holes.
The asking price is the same price as was listed back in 2004 which to me, seems too exorbitant for the condition of the piano (missing top piece, some "dead" keys, chipped keys, and even the odd stuck key and severly out of tune)
I realize there is not much one can do to research the piano's history, manufacture, and value without having a more indepth investigation and series of photos, but I was wondering if anyone may have some information or clues as to the maker "Milne" and possible range of years such a piano would have been manufactured and the location it may have been made...(I suspect England/Scotland or Germany, but I'm unsure).
Many thanks, and I wish everyone a happy holiday season and a happy new year.
Regards,
Wayne
Milne Upright Piano
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune
Thanks PianoGuy...
Thanks for letting me know that the piano may be overly-priced. Any ideas as to where I might be able to find some photos online that I might refer to for comparison purposes?
Wayne
Wayne
It's the burlwood (which I assume is burr-walnut like in appearance) which makes me think it's Victorian. Your description has jus got me thinking that it may be English (or Scottish) Arts and Crafts style (although usually this is mahogany or oak)
If it looks even vaguely like
then you may have an interesting piece there....
If not, then it's probably Victoriana, and not interesting at all!
If it looks even vaguely like
then you may have an interesting piece there....If not, then it's probably Victoriana, and not interesting at all!
Burlwood
Well, I think the piano I saw may fall under the "not interesting" category since the finish, and the style does not look anything close to what you displayed. If I had thought about it, I should have brought my digital camera along to take a few photos of it, and perhaps I might do so on a future visit.
Although the piano may not be of any historical significance or value, the burlwood finish does capture one's eye from an aesthetic perspective.
I found the following photo sample of the type of burlwood finish that resembles the veneer on the piano:
Although the piano may not be of any historical significance or value, the burlwood finish does capture one's eye from an aesthetic perspective.
I found the following photo sample of the type of burlwood finish that resembles the veneer on the piano:
That's burr walnut in UK parlance!
It'd be great to see a pic of the piano if you can manage it, but I suspect that the piano you're viewing could be found in many English second hand shops for little money, and in the classifieds for peanuts! The picture will tell for definite though!
It's a very pretty wood, and a *quality* piano in that veneer is always worth a premium. Milne is not a known UK maker of significance though!
It'd be great to see a pic of the piano if you can manage it, but I suspect that the piano you're viewing could be found in many English second hand shops for little money, and in the classifieds for peanuts! The picture will tell for definite though!
It's a very pretty wood, and a *quality* piano in that veneer is always worth a premium. Milne is not a known UK maker of significance though!
A couple of more similar photos....
Hi PianoGuy...I sure am impressed with your knowledge of pianos....are you a dealer, collector,..????
Is Milne a Scottish piano maker?
At any rate, I found a couple of photos online that closely resemble the style, form, and finish of the piano I examined at the shop. The centre panel carving on the piano I saw is a much more elaborate floral pattern I believe and a little wider. It is missing the two side carvings, so I'm not sure if they were candle sconces, but the missing top piece did indeed have candle sconces.
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Is Milne a Scottish piano maker?
At any rate, I found a couple of photos online that closely resemble the style, form, and finish of the piano I examined at the shop. The centre panel carving on the piano I saw is a much more elaborate floral pattern I believe and a little wider. It is missing the two side carvings, so I'm not sure if they were candle sconces, but the missing top piece did indeed have candle sconces.
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Milne was most likely a Scottish a dealer rather than a maker.
The piano in your picture is a lesser quality German piano from the latter part of the 19th Century. A British instrument from the same period will probably be smaller and straight-strung. Cheap German pianos had the maker's name on a plate affixed (as in your pic) to the underside of the fall. A cheap British piano is likely to have the maker's name applied in the same place on a waterslide transfer.
PG
Tuner and lifelong enthusiast!
The piano in your picture is a lesser quality German piano from the latter part of the 19th Century. A British instrument from the same period will probably be smaller and straight-strung. Cheap German pianos had the maker's name on a plate affixed (as in your pic) to the underside of the fall. A cheap British piano is likely to have the maker's name applied in the same place on a waterslide transfer.
PG
Tuner and lifelong enthusiast!
Will ask Q for a 007 spycam to take photos....
Thanks PG,
The name is indeed in the same location under the fall but is not on a brass plate. It is as you call it, a waterslide transfer. I would have called it a watermark, because it is not very noticeable...but I am no expert on piano terminology.
Early in the new year, I will bring my camera to the shop and snap a few strategic photos of the piano and will post them here for further comments.
I will photograph the piano: straight on (full image), take a side shot to show the cabinet and legs in profile, take a shot of the carving on the centre piece of the cabinet, a shot of the fall in the down position, and up (it may be difficult to include the name), and also a shot of the top of the piano (to display the holes where I suspect a top piece was located at one time), as well as a shot of the interior of the piano when I lift the top hinged panel on the piano.
The shopkeeper may become suspicious of what I'm doing, but I will simply tell the truth and indicate that I want to show images of the piano to an expert who can tell me more about the piano's history.
Thanks once again PG, and have a happy new year!
Wayne
The name is indeed in the same location under the fall but is not on a brass plate. It is as you call it, a waterslide transfer. I would have called it a watermark, because it is not very noticeable...but I am no expert on piano terminology.
Early in the new year, I will bring my camera to the shop and snap a few strategic photos of the piano and will post them here for further comments.
I will photograph the piano: straight on (full image), take a side shot to show the cabinet and legs in profile, take a shot of the carving on the centre piece of the cabinet, a shot of the fall in the down position, and up (it may be difficult to include the name), and also a shot of the top of the piano (to display the holes where I suspect a top piece was located at one time), as well as a shot of the interior of the piano when I lift the top hinged panel on the piano.
The shopkeeper may become suspicious of what I'm doing, but I will simply tell the truth and indicate that I want to show images of the piano to an expert who can tell me more about the piano's history.
Thanks once again PG, and have a happy new year!
Wayne