Piano make and History?

[Louise Westgate]

My grandmother recently passed away and left me the family piano in her will. I would love to know more about the history of the Piano and the make. I have found a model number which I think reads z2779 or y277g it is very faint. I can't see a make on the piano anywhere? I have attached a picture. Any information would be much appreciated, thank you.

[Colin Nicholson]

It looks very similar to a Challen or possibly a Chappel piano, but difficult to say. Its looks English and seen a few with bowed legs of this make - but can't say for certain.
Sometimes if a piano is re-polished & the old french polish is removed, the name (if a stencil) comes off with it, and regrettably the restorer has not put the name back on. The name of the piano might be also written inside the piano - at the top, near the tuning pins - and sometimes raised lettering on the cast iron frame painted gold - but may also be missing.

Your photo attachment is also very small!!
If you sent a photo of the internal mechanism, it might help.

Perhaps Bill will enlighten you further about the numbers.

[Louise Westgate]

Thank you very much for your quick reply. I shall try and get a picture of the inside mechanism and upload a larger photo of the piano. Thanks again Louise.

[Colin Nicholson]

Thanks Louise

If you send a photo of the mechanism (and the model numbers) , please remove the front board where the music rest is - there will probably be two clips inside, either wooden turnbuckles or metal circular stays - and take a photo of the front of the mechanism & strings (not from the top!)

Thanks, Colin

[Bill Kibby]

Numbers are no help without a name. This is an old piano that has been modernised, with those peculiar curved columns supporting the keyboard, and the top corners rounded off. In the process of repolishing it, the original name transfer has been lost. The way the columns curve suggests that the keyboard was originally supported by trusses, which unite the vertical and horizontal surfaces. These were mainly used between the 1880s and the 1920s. It was probably quite antique in appearance, and would have been considered old-fashioned in the fifties, when many were modernised because of the lack of availability of new pianos after the war. There is no way of knowing anything much more about it from the outside, any clues will be hidden inside, so have a look at pianogen.org