Bechstein, London

[sianmainwaring]

I am trying to find out age and history (possible value) of our baby grand Bechstein piano - serial number 240791.

Thanks

Sian

[Bill Kibby]

Nobody can tell you the value or condition of a piano without tuning it. The "Bechstein, London" pianos seem to have been imported in pieces, for assembly in Bournemouth rather than London, in the early 1930s, perhaps by Broadwoods, but although Bechsteins had a London office, the company name "Bechstein London" was never registered, so we cannot look up information on them. Mr Watkins, who worked for them at Bournemouth, cannot be traced, and is believed to be dead. Number 239,992 is known to be pre-1939. Serial number #384 is thought to be around 1933, but this may just be the last 3 digits of the real number: It has a Langer action, instead of the more usual Renner, and if you can find Langer's number on the action, we may be able to date it. The grands were made shorter than normal Bechsteins too, around 4'8". Presumably the arrangement with Berlin would have ceased with the outbreak of war anyway. (Some of this information was very kindly supplied by Rod Watt.)

[vernon]

Bechstein London baby grands are notorious for cracked frames ie useless.
Bechsteins stopped at the outbreak of WW2 of course but not before Frau Bechstein had heavily funded Hitler right from his early years in the 1920s