Steck Duo-Art: Converted from Pianola c1930

[nuk3d]

Hi All,

Just after a bit of advice/history really regarding the families piano. As far as anyone is aware, this Steck has been in the family since about 1950 when it was purchased from Harrods in London, whom, I'm led to believe, renovated it and fully converted it FROM a pianola. (The original date of which is guessed at 1927 - 1930).

Photos attached; and the serial number is 69475.

I've searched quite extensively online and couldn't find anything similar. Any help or information as to its likely history would be very much appreciated.

[Bill Kibby]

The number you quote is not the serial number of the piano, it is Harrods' stock number, which indicates that they sold it shortly after 1974. The published dates of Steck's serial numbers are misleading, so even if you find other numbers in the piano, we won't be able to give you a reliable date for them. I have no great experience of the Pianola side of things, but someone else may answer.

[Gill the Piano]

Harrods have an archive department; you could try them.

[nuk3d]

Thanks Both,

I'll give the archive department at Harrods a try.

[Colin Nicholson]

Try this book:

PLAYER PIANO Servicing and Rebuilding by Arthur Reblitz.

It mentions quite a bit about the Duo-Art player

Has also some weird & wonderful drawings in it....

Duo-Art Expression chamber

This is some of the bits that were once in your piano !!

[nuk3d]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. Much appreciated.

I've received the following reply from Harrods which I've posted here because it may help future forum searches for Harrods archiving; who's contact details are not immediately obvious from their website!

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Thank you for your enquiry. It has been forwarded to me in the Harrods Company Archive, where we keep the old Piano Department stock books.

Your piano was sold at Harrods in 1977. It came to the department second-hand on 6 July from a customer in Surrey named Smith. After being repaired and reconditioned in Harrods Piano Workshop, it was sold on 2 October for £1500 to a customer in Haslemere. The maker's serial number is 21031.It is described as a Steck "5ft TW/LGS MAH. GD." - I'm not sure exactly what sort of legs "TW/LGS" are.

Yours sincerely,

Sebastian Wormell
Archivist

HARRODS | Store Image | Media Relations
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL
Tel: +44 (0)20 7893 8017 | harrods.com
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[Colin Nicholson]

I think TW/LGS just means "twin legs".... (as opposed to single square tapered legs).
Some grands like yours have bracing between the legs, and brass boxed sections for the castors.

Although the serial number book we have is not very reliable, it suggests a date between 1895 - 1900, which ties in with the leg design. I think its much earlier than the 1930's.