Carl Faust & Sohn Piano circa 1900

[pthefisher]

I recently acquired a Carl Faust & Sohn Piano circa 1900 finished in walnut veneer with a steel frame. It needs restoration but is generally in good condition. I'd like to know a little of its history, but cannot locate that manufacturer on the internet. I did find 'H Kuhnel & Coy', the importer on the web and a catalogue dated 1908 features the manufacturer.

Can anyone help in identifying the piano, where it was manufactured in Germany and where i might find some history? A sea journey from Germany to Australia would have been quite a thing back then.

Thanks

Phill

[Bill Kibby]

Unfortunately, the Australian market a century ago was much like others in that they often imported German pianos but would sometimes put fake names on them, so it is perhaps not surprising that Faust's name doesn't appear on any records here so far. If you know how to remove the action safely, it may be marked with the action makers' name and number, and we may be able to date this. Have a look at my Piano Names page at http://www.pianogen.org

[Bill Kibby]

I'd be interested to have a link for those pictures, I can't find it. When all else fails, your best hope will be to find history clues inside the piano.

[pthefisher]

Interestingly, inside the upright on the front is pencilled 'A Martin 13/1/10'. A piano instructor friend suggested that this may be the actual builder of the piano as they often 'marked' the inside like this. I thought it may have been an early piano tuner, but she discounted that idea. I'll search a little further and see what I can find.

Thanks for the help to date.

Phill

[Bill Kibby]

Have you had a look at my Datemarks page at pianohistory.info

Marks like this are commonly found on the keys, but not so often on the case. Martin would be one of the workers rather than the manufacturer, but it is quite possibly the date the piano was being made. Martin may have been an outworker producing the decorative panels, rather than an actual employee of the factory. Our 1911 list of German makers does not include Faust.

[okiedokie of oz]

Greetings from Oz,

I just found this site (hence it's reemergence from the ashes of yesteryear) after being given and Carl Faust and Sons Piano. I was curious about its history - it looks solid, and possesses the heavy iron frame of something that must have been well built.

So far I have found this conversation, and the remnants of an old Gumtree ad (similar to Ebay) referencing these pianos. The Gumtree Ad also mentioned an importer - S Marshall and Sons.

So I googled that... and found that Samual Marshall was an organ maker, who wanted to sell instruments, including organs and pianos. However, he needed stock to start his business - so he made his own. This particular fact I found in our National Library. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/64251377. Only one major organ appears to have been associated with Marshall, and it was mostly replaced part by part (http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/sa.html and http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/organs/PaynehamAng.html)

When I actually get possession of the piano, I will look at trying to identify the various parts for names and dates.

[Bill Kibby]

Probably the best chance with a German piano is that the rear of the action will be marked with the action makers' name and number, I may be able to date this. See my pages at

http://pianohistory.info/datemarks.html

http://pianohistory.info/numbers.html

I have no record of the firm in 1928, I will see what else I can find, it has been a while since the name came up!