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I don't use PDF files. The action should slide out towards you once obstructions have been removed. I am not a professional restorer of early pianos. These pictures are from the one I had, 10 years younger.

My Numbers page... http://www.pianohistory.info/numbers.html includes a listing for Collards, and although their numbers are very complicated at times, their main number was hand-written under an imprinted model number. At that time, the main numbers seem to have gone up a thousand per year, and 28,...

I can't tell you any more than is already listed below. Pianos are hardly ever a "one-off", they are mass-produced. My Name page http://www.pianohistory.info/names.html explains that many piano names are meaningless, and without photos, I can't tell you anything about the individual piano, but you m...

You haven't told us what the inscription is, but Google Translate should do it for you.

Nobody anywhere can guess the value or condition of a piano without inspecting it on the spot, and checking whether it holds in tune.
The piano looks to be Edwardian, and the number you quote suggests it is from around 1907. Most pianos have several numbers inside.

Regarding the Palings piano, it seems that it was made in USA and sold by Palings, so the number would not follow Palings' published dates. I can't tell you anything just from a number, can you post photos here to show what it looks like? As for the old piano, have a look at http://www.pianohistory....

Very few dates of serial numbers are published, and they can be misleading, because some Knauss pianos have numbers which do not correspond to the published dates. A star or asterisk is often used to indicate the serial number. 40892 is probably around 1893 and this seems possible from the photos, b...

Most pianos have several numbers inside, and although the main serial number can be imprinted in the end of the case like this, you certainly do not have an 1812 piano. It has an iron frame, and is more likely to be from the 1900s. Have a look at http://www.pianohistory.info/datemarks.html http://ww...

Where did you see all this detail Barrie? I only see 2 copies of a photo of the outside.

It looks like a Kemble, and there is no reason to think anyone would put that name on otherwise. If there is no number just inside the top edge, or on the back at the top, try looking inside, on the soundboard at keyboard level on the bass (left) side. See also http://www.pianohistory.info/datemarks...

If you have a look near the bottom of the page at http://www.pianohistory.info/archives.html there is a link to Erards' online archive. The number suggests that it might be around 1869, but dating a piano purely on the basis of numbers is not always as simple as it seems. Can you post photos here to...

Nobody anywhere can guess the value or condition of a piano without inspecting it on the spot. There were piano makers called Goetze in USA, Dresden, Berlin and Russia. They had different numbers, and if it's the Russian one, it might be 1909. Can you post photos to show us what the whole piano look...

The number suggests that it was made in 1918, but dating pianos purely on the basis of numbers is not always as simple as it seems.

I would guess this piano was made shortly after the first world war, but it could be twenties.

It would be useful to have the more obvious photo of the whole piano, to help me with dates. The name was in use from 1858. The fact that it doesn't say "Ltd." suggests that it is before 1918, and it is certainly too old to be a Chinese import. If you want to search inside the piano for clues, have ...

The number beginning with C&S is Cranes' stock number. I can tell you that it is after 1927, and before 1933, so my best guess is 1930. I have lots of Crane pianos on file, they rarely have a definite date, and like many other firms, they bought them in from anonymous wholesalers, including Kemble. ...

Sorry, my mistake, the number suggests that it was in 1938.

Unfortunately, the published dates of Berry numbers don't go this high, but it seems to be late 1950s.
I already explained that I don't do valuations.

It's not a link, it's the email address, which is not on here because it causes so much spam.

I'm sorry they have a problem with downloading photos, |I wrestle with it every time. If you want to email them to me, I will attempt to post them here.

I wonder if any of you out there are tuning or repairing uprights with the dreaded sticker actions? If so, you may be able to help me. This is one of two evolutionary lines for uprights, and mainly associated with Victorian Cottage Pianos, which died the death suddenly in the 1880s. The latest examp...

The Brasted family now run a restaurant, and I tune a Brasted piano there. They have some fragmentary history, but the last I heard, it was a long way from being published.

I get the feeling that this forum is turning into facebook, there are so many spelling mistakes. Mornington is a name used on some fairly modern pianos, and the KK suggests that it was made in Japan, but t is not imitating Kawai. The Herrburger Brooks action suggests that it was completed in the UK,...

It is not unusual to find Berry pianos with ashtrays and lights. I worked for Berry in the sixties, and have tuned many of these. The girder bars label was around for some years before your piano, so it doesn't help us. Nobody anywhere can guess the value or condition of a piano without inspecting i...

My earliest reference to Murdoch in Corporation Street is at number 47, in 1897. The piano looks typical of the 1920s, but the number suggests that it may have been made before 1921. I will see what I can find, but Murdoch pianos cannot be reliably dated by serial numbers, because they were made for...

I have a few estiated dates for William Sames pianos from England, but I have no idea if they will help. If you open the top of the piano, can you see any numbers?
Also, have a look at
http://www.pianohistory.info/datemarks.html

This is a typical Victorian Cottage Piano as shown at
http://www.pianohistory.info/victorian.html
They finished in the 1880s, this one may be a little earlier, but unless there is a date written on the end keys, I can't pin it down more accurately.
My email is on my own website.

The only clue in your information is Maunder... 1865 Not listed. 1869 John Maunder, 54, Queen Street Camden Town NW. 1870 John Maunder, 54, Queen Street Camden Town NW. 1875 is the latest directory entry I have found so far for John Maunder, Apollo Works, Leighton Road NW. 1880 Not listed. Arthur Al...

My initial guess is that it was made around 1902, so have a look at http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html Dodson was established in 1867, but did not appear in the London directories up to 1870. By 1875, the first reference to Dodson in my London lists of Pianoforte makers is Wm.Dodson, 22A, B...

Unfortunately no proper dates of their serial numbers are available. I had an enquiry about this piano on this forum in 2016, and estimated its date at 1899, but with more information arriving, I can say that it is shortly before 1902, perhaps 1901. However, the key clearly has a date ending /99 so ...

I don't know if there are 2 posts about this piano, I answered it yesterday but can't see my answer.
The number suggests that your piano was made in 1888.

I'm not sure about the "etc.", no original archives survive, and all we can do is try to date the number. In this instance, 10516 suggests that it was made around 1888.

I was guessing that your piano was made around the 1914 war. This website needs some help with the software that is supposed to upload photos. Here are (I hope they load) some pictures of Brinsmead numbers. Like yours, they have 5 digits preceded by a circle, but it's not a zero, it's a felt pad to ...

Dating a piano purely on the basis of numbers is often not as simple as it seems, and one reason for this is the fact that most pianos have several numbers inside. Although it is not unusual for a serial number to have 6 digits, in 60 years I have never seen one that began with a zero. If you just o...

It is usually very straightforward with Spencers, and as you can see in examples above, if you lift the top and look inside, you should see a serial number. If 1695 is the number, it was made shortly after 1883, and will probably be a Cottage Piano style, as shown at... http://www.pianohistory.info/...

When you say "baby" do you mean a baby grand? If this number appears on the front edge of the soundboard, near the treble end, it is a separate sequence, known as a belly number. A few of these are shown at http://www.pianohistory.info/numbers.html and suggest a date around 1903. There should be ano...

A Monington & Weston would usually have a serial number visible when you lift the top. Another is hidden away on the soundboard, probably inside the bottom. Both would be 5 digits, but quite different.

Is there no name at all on the piano? The style is a bit like the Jacobean models of the twenties, but the inside looks older. See my Edwardian page... http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html Is it possible to have more of a front view? Can I ask how you arrived at the idea that it is a Moningto...

Michael Gunn & Son were in business until 1873,and are known to have sold Erard Semi-Grand pianofortes. 1451 appears to be the serial number, which would suggest that it was made around 1847, although published information varies. We don't know yet when they moved to Grafton Street, and it may be th...

You mention "more photos" but you haven't shown us any yet. Parker is a very common surname, so it is not surprising that there have been a number of piano firms with the name, but most of these were retailers, not true makers. They include... PARKER & Co. at BISHOPSGATE PARKER & Co. at EDGEWARE ROA...

My guess would be walnut, but someone else may offer a more reliable answer to that. The number suggests that it was made in 1916, and this seems reasonable. The deep bevelled edges of the panels were common then. Some earlier Spencers only have partial iron frames, and wooden pedals. Around this ti...

My only clue is the Jacobean style, which suggests twenties, starting from about 1923-4 onwards.
Checking the keys is a more major operation with a player, can you see any markings near the bottom of the iron frame?

In the twenties, Rogers serial numbers were about half the Chappell numbers.
Reviewing my files on Chappell serial numbers, there are many that don't correspond to the published dates. My Numbers page only lists confirmed dates.
Later in the 1900s, Chappell pianos were made at the Kemble factory.

Is it a Herrburger Brooks action? That would place it between 1920 and the fifties, when the last overdampers were made.
The name appears to be on a separate headbar, not part of the original frame.

These are similar to the Jacobean models shown on my Edwardian page... http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html If you have a look at the dated serial numbers near the bottom of my Numbers page, that may give some clues. Chappells were around 70,000 in the twenties. If you haven't already checked...

The next question is - who was making Chappell pianos at that time?
Jacobean styles were popular in the twenties.

I am going to see an 1842 Broadwood grand with 82 notes C-A, and the owner is having trouble finding a buyer because of its age. She has been told it is worth a few thousand pounds, so we must assume that it has been restored, and would probably not interest a restorer. If anyone is interested, or c...

The number preceded by K indicates that it was made by Kemble, London in 1951. This style resembling the front of a grand was popular then.

I can only refer you to the comments I made above. If anyone simply quotes a date for a Steck number, it is not reliable.

The number suggests that it was made in 1913. I have hundreds of individual Spencers on file, but knowing one doesn't usually help with learning anything about another.

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