Help identifying upright piano

[Neilb]

Hello

We have an old piano we would like to identify. It's been in our possesion for about 7 years and when it was tuned he reckoned it was around 100 years old. While an excellent tuner he was blind so could not help with the identity.
A previous owner has painted it white very badly and we cannot find any manufacturers plates. The serial number stamped is 36915 plus there is a label on the back with the same number and a 46 underneath.
I've attached a couple of photos.

We are moving house soon so are looking to sell or if it's pretty much worthless, as we suspect, we will donate it to someone.

Many thanks

[Bill Kibby]

It might help us to know where you are in the world, but I suspect this is a British piano, with seven octaves (85 notes). Also, if you are able to take the camera further back and show the whole piano, including pedals and all the edges, that might make a difference, but it looks fairly typical of about 1920, a bit later than your tuner said.

As far as make is concerned, there is nothing very distinctive that I can see to decide who the maker is, and you would need to look around inside for clues. If you feel safe removing the action (the working parts of the notes) it may be marked on the rear with the action makers' name and number, and we may be able to date this.

There may also be marks under the keyboard.

Have a look at my Datemarks and Names pages in "Gen about pianos" at pianogen.org

This link may help...
http://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forum ... f=2&t=8859

[Diorama]

I'm not sure why I'm even typing this but here we go.

There is a very small chance, I believe, that that could once have been my piano (I say 'my' piano; I mean the family piano, I was just a child).

From 1987 to 1995 I lived in Hertford Heath in Hertfordshire, and we had a white, out of tune piano which was the spitting image of this one (it was always out of tune as nobody in my immediate family played, just my Aunt on occasional visits).

I know it must sound rather silly as I am sure that white pianos like this are ten-a-penny (I remember that it looked like it had just been given a nice thick coat of Dulux Glossy Emulsion, nothing like the white coating on Lennon's Steinway!). The 3 details which strike me are the design of the 'legs', the four panels on the front, and the design of the 'swinging' music stand. The only book I remember being placed there was 'The Beatles Complete' (and illustrated?) piano score.

I'm sure this is a common enough look for pianos and that I am crazy, the only reason I decided to reply was when I saw you were in Hertfordshire which meant it wasn't completely out of the question.

We gave the piano away to family friends (can't remember exactly where they lived but it was around Hertford or Hoddeston) when we moved down South in '95, I don't think they had any pianists in the family either but it was still there last time I saw them in maybe '03 or '04.

How did you come to own the piano? Does it hold its tuning?

Sorry for the text splurge, I dropped a nostalgia bomb on myself, even if it is a different piano. :)

[Bill Kibby]

The piano is typical of something around 1920, the panels in the top door allow for the fitting of sconces (candle-holders) even if they were not fitted. The middle panel would typically have an inlaid or marquetry design. The overhanging music desk may be found on most old upright pianos, and continued at least until the fifties.

[Neilb]

Thanks for the replies, been away house hunting in Warwick. I will try and upload a better photo tomorrow night.

We bought it from a a family in Bogner around 7 years ago and had it tuned soon after. I am tone deaf but my wife says it's still in a pretty good state of tune but it has'nt been used that much.

[Bill Kibby]

I've been looking through my files for images around 1915-1925, and the only examples where the keyboard supports are similar are German, especially Steinmayer or Steinmetz. Sadly, neither of these names would be much help in pursuing more information. In German pianos, it is usually the action makers' name and number that helps most.