Ryalls & Jones Upright Piano

[dmillsjr]

Purchased an upright piano the other day but can't seem to find any information on it other than it is an older British piano. It has a floral inlay on the front, the top lid opens for tuning and concealing a music stand. Ryalls & Jones is stamped under the lid (not Ryalls & Jones Ltd.), however I know that they were not the makers of the piano. I haven't been able to find any manufacture name on the actual frame of the piano, (so maybe someone could give me a pointer on where to look!). It is a very pretty piano, however in major need of tuning and repair. I'm wanting to know a little more about it before I get in over my head in repairing and tuning costs. If you could even help me possibly date the piano, it may help in my search. Thank you in advance.

[Bill Kibby]

Without photos, we can't tell you anything about the individual piano just by the name. They were, as you know, retailers, and may have bought pianos in from more than one factory, so you will need to look inside for clues. My guess is it was sold between the 1880s and 1935, when they became Ltd. Can you upload some images of the whole piano here, or email them to me?