Mystery!

Ask questions on piano history and the age of your piano.

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Gill the Piano
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Mystery!

Post by Gill the Piano »

So today I tuned an overstrung overdamper which had been 'restored' (ahem) and had a 'Collard & Collard' stencil on the fall. However, there were 4 holes in the fall (where a name plate had been taken off) and on a cartouche cast into the frame, the letters S H, separated by a lyre. The action was made in Berlin, the end key had 'Baumann' in immaculate copperplate, and the serial number on the keys was 95998. It seemed to be 1910/early 20s in style (sconce holes in evidence, marquetry was stylised foliage on the way to Art Nouveau/Jugendstil). I can't think of a German piano maker which S H would fit...any ideas please?
I play for my own amazement... :piano;
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Bill Kibby
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Re: Mystery!

Post by Bill Kibby »

I am looking, but when you say the action was made in Berlin, do you know who by, or what the action number is?
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Gill the Piano
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Re: Mystery!

Post by Gill the Piano »

No, the label was well rubbed. It may have begun with an E. Couldn't see any action numbers. Sorry! The spurious Collard stencil and the holes in the fall led me to believe that it had been doctored in WWI to conceal its German origins.
I play for my own amazement... :piano;
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Bill Kibby
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Re: Mystery!

Post by Bill Kibby »

I have looked through the H files for Berlin firms, can't see any with an S. Could it be a postcode like Berlin S.O. or Berlin S.W.?
Piano History Centre
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Email via my website.
If you find old references or links on this site to pianogen.org, they should refer to pianohistory.info
Gill the Piano
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Re: Mystery!

Post by Gill the Piano »

No, it was a cast cartouche like the C&C one on old Collards, or the one on Witton pianos, and it was definitely an S and an H.
I play for my own amazement... :piano;
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