Is a Schwander action good?!

[Kate Rushen]

Hi there,
I have a Lestel upright piano, which no-one has ever heard of! It's a great little piano, has taken me through from beginner to Grade 8 and to teaching so is a robust and versatile instrument with a great range of tone and colour.
I've been trying to date it and find more info about who made it, and all I can find is the name SCHWANDER on the action, plus the numbers 52494 on the sound board, 494 on the inside of the lower and upper doors and 'Made in England BS1 M5' on the frame itself.
Can anyone help with more info (is a Schwander action good??) and a possible value (I know, I know, tricky, but if anyone cares to hazard a guess at a ballpark figure I will be 100% wiser than I am at the moment!)?
Thanks!
Kate

[Bill Kibby]

I've heard of Lestel, although I have very little information. Schwander is one of the most famous action makers, and famous makers like Bechstein used them in the ir grands. They were also quite common in upright pianos of the 1900s, after Herrburger-Schwander (Paris) merged with Brooks (London). If you look at my profile, you can get to the PianoGen website, and read my comments on the concept of valuing pianos.

Circa 1920 Lestel piano #24,800, possibly made by Renn.
1922 Lestel piano #6,829 is dated 31-1-22 on iron frame, the Lestel name is cast into the frame, #16 ,996 written on it. A Normelle piano with a quite different number, but identical markings on the frame, was probably made by Murdoch!

[Bill Kibby]

RENN, London, made pianos for the trade, mainly under other names. The Renn name appears inside some pianos bearing the names "Lestel" or "Carlton". Their serial numbers don't seem to make much sense, and may even have several separate sequences, but this may be because of the apparently separate firm of Renn Hounam & Co. Ltd.

Circa 1905? Renn were taken over by Brooks Ltd., who made piano actions, then they used the name Leswein.

[Kate Rushen]

Thanks Bill, I really appreciate the info

[Bill Kibby]

See also the enquiry about Leswein.