Berry Piano

[sequigle]

I acquired a Berry piano some years back and I am looking to find out something of its history. The serial number is 25286. It is marked Berry London Iron frame Full Trichord Check Action. It is walnut with inlay. Can anyone tell me its age and what the Trichord Check action means. I was told it came from England, originally used as a manse piano.

[Bill Kibby]

Nobody anywhere can trace the life history of every piano, and sadly, Berry's archives (which would have shown the original purchaser) are mouldering in a damp garage, a unique historical resource which is not available for reference. I used to work for them. "Full trichord" means that all the tenor and treble notes have three strings per note, which has been the normal arrangement for a century or so. "Check Action" is a meaningless term in modern times, it is impossible to make a piano action that works properly without the checks to catch the hammers, and stop them bouncing back to strike the strings repeatedly. The number suggests that the piano was made in 1928.