W. Hoffmann, Berlin

[plb]

Hi, I'm new here, this is my first post.
I received an old Piano and I started to work on it: cleaning, wood restauration, ivory keiboard polishing, but I'm not a professional, just a diy passionate.
I would like to know something more on its history, that's are the brand and numbers I can see:
Brand - W. Hoffmann Berlin;
Bought probably in 1930 more or less;
Sn 9055;
Iron frame WH2 cast in the metal;
Mechanics - Ernst Jacob, piano mechanic Fabrik, Berlin 80 or SO (hard to understand) ;
Keyboard support table 670.

Find in attach a picture of the whole piano.
I hope you can help me about the year it was built, if more pictures could help I can provide.
Thanks a lot for you attention.
Pier Luigi.

[Bill Kibby]

Names like Hofman, Hoffman, Hoffmann, Hofmann, Haufmann and Hauptmann can be found on many old pianos, and although some of these may be real makers' names, some are certainly fake.
Regarding Jacob, the address is Berlin SO, meaning South West. If you can read a serial number off the back of the action, I may be able to date it, but I don't think there are dates published for W. Hoffmann.

[plb]

Hi, Bill,
Thanks for the answare and yes I found a handwritten number on the mechanic:
660 45y13 14 followed by a sort of a sign.
I hope it could be useful to define the piano age.
Thank you.
Pier Luigi

[Bill Kibby]

It should be a simple number, imprinted next to the name, like this example.

[plb]

Hi Bill,
Got it, this is the number: 660320 as you can see in picture.
Thanks again.
Pier Luigi

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks for the photo, that number suggests that it was made in 1928, so your 1930 figure was not far out.

[plb]

Hi Bill,
Many tanks for the birth year of my piano.
I'm doing a restoration and it is important for me to know something about its istory.
I see you are very competent, professional and kind as well.
See you.
Pier Luigi

[Popero]

I have a very good friend who has a Hoffmann piano in his Munich property here and when I visited him 2 years ago I got a chance to play it. Amazing instrument!

[plb]

Hi Bill,
I would like to know your opinion about the piano style:
AS uou see there are two candlesticks on the piano, each one has a power cable and a bulb holder. I'm not sure that the piano was built that way, couldn't it be that, in origin, the candlestick was for wax candles and modified in the foolowing years?
Thank you.
Pier Luigi

[Bill Kibby]

It is interesting that your post is timed at 1701 today, but I am answering it at 1630pm!

Candles were dying out in the twenties, many houses didn't need them anymore, but some pianos did have mains-operated lights, especially in the 1930s.

[plb]

Hi Bill,
very quick as usual.
Ok, so it is reasonable to think the bulbs as an original choice.
In effect the cables looks like a very old wires with a very poor connections.
As regards the year you suggested, I have a deductive corroboration as well: there are many stainless iron parts in the piano action and wikepedia says tha such metal alloy wasn't available before the twenties.
Thanks again.
Pier Luigi

[Dieter]

Info zu W. Hoffmann: https://www.dieter-gocht.de/?page_id=1890