Beadle & Langbein piano

[P W Haslehurst]

We have recently bought a Beadle & Langbein piano for our son, it has a date on the back, September 18th 1911. Could any one give me some information on this make?

[Bill Kibby]

This is all I have ready on computer about the firm, but I'll let you know if anything else turns up. Does your piano have an obvious serial number inside the top?

BEADLE & LANGBEIN, London
1892 Beadle & Langbein.
1914 Music Trades Directory mentions the name Beadle & Langbein across the bottom of many pages, with a variety of different slogans.
1920 Beadle & Langbein piano #19,328 owned by Mr Baker, whose mother said she saw it being made at Camden Town.
Circa 1925? Beadle & Langbein piano.

[Robert Beadle]

I am a new member so please excuse the note if I have done anything wrong with the subject heading etc. My stepfather who died aged 90 in 2000 was the last direct family of the Beadle and Langbein company. Langbein was the sleeping partner (financier. My father's grandfather started the firm in the 1860's and it closed during the depression in about 1931 when my stepfather's father was running it. He was about 60 and retired while my step father who was apprenticed into the business moved into other work. He continued to tune pianos and repair player pianos for many years. He tuned my piano almost until he died and I have some of his tools which I expect came from the original factory. I've only ever seen one Beadle and Langbein piano in a Sussex pub or hotel about 35 years ago. Most of the pianos were made for retailers who had their own name put on them. (badged). If you have Beadle and Langbein on it you have quite a rare item! I've tried looking up serial numbers in all the books but I don't think the records were kept. Best wishes

Robert Beadle

[Robert Beadle]

I forgot to mention in my earlier reply that the company was based around Camden Town (Arlington Road, Kentish Town and Finsbury Park (Wray Crescent). My stepfather was Eric Arthur Beadle and his father was Arthur Beadle. Prior to that the gt grandfather had several brothers in the business and it was run on family lines with the grandfather taking over completely in about 1919.

[Bill Kibby]

I would hesitate to use the word "rare" on the internet! I have some information on Beadle & Langbein if you would like to email me.

[Andrei]

Hello, I am looking at buying a Beadle & Langbein piano and wondered if you'd be kind enough to give me some more information on them please. Also do you have any idea of their worth in good condition? Thanks

Andrei

[Bill Kibby]

...

[MajorC]

I own a Beadle & Langbein and keep it as a piece of art. I have been told several times over the years to keep it since I would most likely have to pay someone to take it away if I ever tried to sell it. I purchased it in 1980 at a antique shop in Miami Florida. Beautiful but not real functional because of its age.

[Bill Kibby]

I'd be interested to know any information that is written on it. Would it be possible for you to email me some photos for our Piano History Centre? Although Robert doesn't mention Frederick Beadle, I have always imagined that he was the beginning of Beadle & Langbein, and he was in business by 1884.

[paul muncey]

Hi, we have a Beadle and Langbein, it is an upright with some very pretty inlaid veneer and clearly had candle holders but these are removed. It is an iron-framed trichord. It is still in regular use. I would be interested in any additional information on the history of these pianos / the company, and any other photos. I can email some photos of our piano and serial numbers if of interest.

Many thanks,

Paul

[Bill Kibby]

Details of antique pianos are always interesting to me, but I have very little to add about the company yet.

[stezis]

Hi,
I have just recently purchased a Beadle & Langbein. It was in regular use and is and will be from now on.
Besides its beautiful looks, it has a very beautiful deep and full sound. I can post pictures of it if you like, or take a look here and download them:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170546670552&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:DE:1123
Playing it is really enjoyable.
More infos upon request
Stephan
from Germany/Darmstadt region

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks for sharing the photos. It seems a typical London piano of the first few years of the 1900s. Are there any numbers easily visible inside the top?

[The Old Manse]

Hullo.

We have just bought a Beadle & Langbein upright piano and would loveto know more about it.

It has a gold Beadle & Langbein London sign painted on the inside lid, with another gold painted sign just above the keys saying F. Hepworth Huddersfield, which I am guessing is the retailer, as we live in West Yorkshire.

there is a number stamped on he top - 19830.

It is in full working arder, if cosmetically a little worn and obviously pre-loved, but finding out as a Crouch End boy that the factory was in Finsbury Park is amazing. Would love to know more about it's age or history, or more about the factory.

Michael Lowe

[Bill Kibby]

#19328 is said to have been bought in 1920, so yours should be shortly after, although it is impossible to tell without photos. No other dates are available for this maker's numbers, but follow the link below for clues hidden inside the piano.

Beadle & Langbein were mainly wholesalers, many of their pianos were sold with fictitious names by retailers. Their address was 5 Royal Park Buildings, Arlington Road, Camden Town NW.

Hepworth Brother appear in our lists after 1894, and were also in Paisley by 1911, but no connection is known with the Huddersfield firm, who do not appear that early.

[mazda]

Hi, all i hae just recieved a beadle and langbein upright piano from a friend, i found this post very interesting, i am going to take a look at it and find the model number. it has been knocked about a bit over the years but works perfectly and sounds great, i will try and get some pictures on asap.

[Bill Kibby]

Numbers would be interesting to me, but won't help you. Photos will enable me to tell you more.

[mazda]

hi bill, the only number i can find is 387 which has been stamped into 2 panels, there are no other numbers or any other markings apart from the Beadle & Langbein london which is painted in gold under the lid that covers the keys. no other names any where.
i will post pictures as soon as i figure out how :)
any help you can give would be great.

[mazda]

i have posted the pictures on this site.
http://lakenheath.bookoo.com/item.jsp?itemId=27646404

[Bill Kibby]

It looks like a typical twenties style. The instructions are at the top of the forum postings, or you can email to me, but this one will suffice.

1922~Beadle&Langbein#387u.jpg (36.24 KiB) Viewed 1809 times

If you can find a longer number ending in 387, that will be the main number. The difference in width of the keyblocks at the ends of the keyboard indicates that it is overstrung. The usual 7 octaves, 85 notes.

[ianho]

We have a Beadle & Langbein upright piano obtained through a family friend and i was intrigued by the numbering system so decided to have a look under the top lid.
Expecting to see a stamped number there is only the number 816 written in pencil on a wooden strut running across the back, can you advise where else i should be looking to find more info.

[Bill Kibby]

It is interesting for me to know the number of the piano, but it will have no practical value to you. The best I can do is estimate its age from photos of the whole piano. Have a look at pianogen.org

[1ian75]

Hi,

My Beadle and Langbein has just arrived (yesterday) after being cared for by a friend for about 10 years. It was given to me by my parents (before I had anywhere to actually put it) and was given to them by my great grandfather as a wedding present over 30 years ago. Until reading the posts here, we had no idea of its origins or age.

Having visited www.pianogen.org, I have learned that it is overstrung. It is also very similar to the previously posted photograph (posted on 21/6/12 at 11:58) - I will have to take a photo and put it up. I'll also look for the serial number since it is of interest to Bill Kibby.

It still plays reasonably well - though is now in need of a tune (booked in for a couple of weeks time when the instrument has settled down a bit).

I'm so pleased to have found this forum because, until now, nobody was able to tell me anything about the manufacturer or history of it!

[Bill Kibby]

Is there any chance you could post some photos of the whole piano, or email them to me?