Age Brooklyn Piano Co

[driesfer]

Hi everyone

I have the remnants of an old piano (ok only the lid. don't ask, very sad story). I would like to know if anyone could help with age more or less.

It was made by Brooklyn Piano Co. It also says Mackay Bros Transvaal (I should at this point mention that I am in South Africa. Transvaal used to be the name of a country, also known as the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek. After the Anglo Boer War it became one of the provinces of SA). As far as I could find out Mackay Brothers did business in Johannesburg at least from 1896.

There is what appears to be a serial nr on the lid, although it is not very clear. It looks like Rd No (1)29286.

Could someone be of assistance please?

[Bill Kibby]

RD is not a serial number, it stands for Registered Design. Even if you had a serial number it wouldn't help, because no information is published about their numbers. Green & Savage began making some pianos with the name Brooklyn in the late 1800s. In 1911, they were still listed as "Green & Savage, makers of the Brooklyn piano", but they soon changed their name, presumably because "Brooklyn" was producing business.

It is not possible to date a piano purely on the basis of its name. For general information, have a look at
http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html