Search found 5684 matches

by Bill Kibby
20 Jul 2003, 10:36
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Franz Geser
Replies: 2
Views: 9067

I apologise for the delay in answering, I have been unable to find Franz Geser, but there was an F. Oeser in Vienna around 1880, and he was still in business in 1911, but I have no other information. A report can be compiled from photos via the PianoGen website.
by Bill Kibby
16 Jul 2003, 22:40
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Beardmore & Sons piano
Replies: 1
Views: 7061

Beardmore

Mike's piano was H. Beardmore, manufactured expressly for J.D. Cuthbertson & Co., 226-230 Sauchiehall St., Glasgow. I have general lists of London piano firms for every decade. There was a Beard, and a Beardwell, but there is no reference to Beardmore. The most likely explanation is that it was ...
by Bill Kibby
14 Jul 2003, 20:31
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Hillier Piano Company
Replies: 1
Views: 5784

Hillier

Most piano names are not on the net. Is this E. Hiller, or James Hillier?
by Bill Kibby
14 Jul 2003, 20:28
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Blankenstein
Replies: 3
Views: 10853

Blankenstein piano

Blankenstein numbers are not reliable, because there are three sets, and they can be very confusing. Rough dates: 1880 ----------------- 12,400 1890 ----------------- 19,000 1901 12,000 --------- 27,900 ------- 5,400 1906 16,000 1914 ---------- "Over 30,000 sold" 1920 23,000 1930 29,000 --...
by Bill Kibby
11 Jul 2003, 01:06
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Square piano?
Replies: 5
Views: 14141

Broadwood square

I'd have to check, but I thought they made squares later than that. However, I don't follow the point about 1840, they were making them long before then, and supplied royalty in the 1700s. It would be interesting to see the photos, if you could email any to my address.
by Bill Kibby
11 Jul 2003, 01:02
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Irving Piano?
Replies: 1
Views: 7778

Hi! I have answered your email already, so it seems silly to repeat it all!
by Bill Kibby
10 Jul 2003, 10:06
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Witton, Witton & Co London Est 1838
Replies: 1
Views: 11906

More modern Witton pianos were made by Barratt & Robinson,and follow their numbers, but no dates of numbers are published for the older ones. In 1899, they were still calling themselves "Witton & Witton", but by 1911, they were "Witton, Witton & Co." so that tells us ...
by Bill Kibby
10 Jul 2003, 09:57
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Square piano?
Replies: 5
Views: 14141

Square piano?

I presume that what you are describing is a "Square Piano", actually shaped like a rectangular table with a keyboard let into the longer side. We are familiar nowadays with upright and grand pianos, but in victorian times, there were also square pianos made in vast quantities, popular with...
by Bill Kibby
03 Jul 2003, 00:30
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Chepstow piano
Replies: 2
Views: 8070

Chepstow / Fraserson

I have tuned Chepstow London pianos occasionally, from round about the 1920s, but have no information ready on computer, nor on Fraserson. I'll see what I can find.
by Bill Kibby
03 Jul 2003, 00:26
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Spencer piano 25954
Replies: 2
Views: 8313

Spencer

No, actually I said that the date was unlikely, but see the post anyway!
by Bill Kibby
03 Jul 2003, 00:25
Forum: Piano History
Topic: John Ellis piano
Replies: 8
Views: 13764

Ellis

Yes, I have tuned a few John Ellis pianos over the years, from around 1900-1910, including one owned by a John Ellis, unrelated to the maker. They described their address as London, but Upton Park was not in London then, so they don't show up in London lists! They were established in 1888, and I hav...
by Bill Kibby
25 Jun 2003, 19:12
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Koneztny Piano
Replies: 1
Views: 5569

Hi! Joseph Koneztny was a piano maker at 37 Alexandrastrasse, Berlin in 1928. That's all I have ready on computer so far. I could tell you more if you send photos to my email address.
by Bill Kibby
25 Jun 2003, 19:07
Forum: Piano History
Topic: G.Ehrbar Berlin piano
Replies: 5
Views: 15629

Ehrbar

Numbers are no help with this name. The one I saw years ago was also around the 1880s, but unless there are datemarks inside, the only thing I could do is compile a report on design and approximate age from photos. It would be interesting to see pictures anyway, to my email address, especially inter...
by Bill Kibby
24 Jun 2003, 15:05
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Bollinger?
Replies: 3
Views: 9401

Bollinger

"Musique Adreses Universel" (1928) lists the following:
Bollinger-Leard Music Co., Muskogee.
Bollinger Piano Co., Oskaloosa.
H. Bollinger, Little Rock.
H.G. Bollinger, 423 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith. Pianos, Instruments, Gramophones, Music.
by Bill Kibby
24 Jun 2003, 10:18
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Eavestaff Pianette "Minipiano"
Replies: 24
Views: 47436

I think Barrie missed the point that many of the 1934-style back-action minis are now untuneable wrecks, with tuning pins which cannot be obtained or replaced. Valuation in that situation is a gallon of paraffin and a box of matches!
by Bill Kibby
24 Jun 2003, 10:13
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Eavestaff Pianette "Minipiano"
Replies: 24
Views: 47436

Eavestaff

"All the same stuff" has to be there to make it work, but the precise layout depends which Eavestaff mini we're talking about, there were several models including 1934 and 1969. The strings have to be shorter if there is no space!
by Bill Kibby
22 Jun 2003, 23:49
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Bollinger?
Replies: 3
Views: 9401

Bollinger

Sorry, I have very little first-hand experience of pianos from that side of the ocean.
by Bill Kibby
22 Jun 2003, 23:47
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Green & Marsh
Replies: 2
Views: 6450

Green & Marsh

Yes, I have some brief notes on Green & Marsh, and they were around Swindon from at least 1899 to 1928, but all I have so far are dates of addresses, although I can compile a report based on photos via the PianoGen website.
by Bill Kibby
22 Jun 2003, 15:21
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Arthur Allison piano
Replies: 9
Views: 15651

Allison

By all means send photos to my email address. I can also supply a booklet about the Allison firms, or compile a report from detailed photos.
by Bill Kibby
22 Jun 2003, 09:53
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Arthur Allison piano
Replies: 9
Views: 15651

Allison

It's a difficult problem to avoid, because even if you were english, you wouldn't necessarily know all the technical terms. In this case, the keys are the notes, a fairly international way of describing them (clef in french etc.) and the bottom key is the lowest note - the one on the left-hand end. ...
by Bill Kibby
21 Jun 2003, 13:56
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Vatin &co., Bruxelles.
Replies: 1
Views: 12065

Vatin

Sorry, I can't find anything on Vatin so far, but you might like to look at Booklets\ Datemarks on the PianoGen website. Are you sure about the spelling?
by Bill Kibby
21 Jun 2003, 13:52
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Arthur Allison piano
Replies: 9
Views: 15651

It's worth remembering that some of the serial numbers on pianos made by the various Allison firms don't conform to the published numbers. I can supply a booklet through the PianoGen website, or compile a report based on photos. See also the items on Booklets\Datemarks and Booklets\Numbers. Some of ...
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 18:59
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Murdoch, Murdoch & Co. piano
Replies: 9
Views: 25440

A hundred years ago, John Spencer's pianos were much more famous than Marks & Spencer, and no connection is known. There are also people writing to me almost every week from California who have London pianos!
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 18:55
Forum: Piano History
Topic: G.Ehrbar Berlin piano
Replies: 5
Views: 15629

I notice that I mis-typed the spelling, I did mean Ehrbar. Numbers are no help as far as this make is concerned, only if they are the action maker's name and number.
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 11:59
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Eavestaff Pianette "Minipiano"
Replies: 24
Views: 47436

Eavestaff Mini

We have assumed that this is the original 1934-style minipiano, Eavestaffs made various other models. I have historical notes, pictures and old ads on file. Valuation of a piano is impossible without on-the-spot inspection. Have a look at
http://pianogen.org/Archives.html
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 11:56
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Crane & Sons piano
Replies: 4
Views: 13640

Crane

Crane & Sons were unable to help me with information some years ago, but I have some fragmentary information. As Barrie said, the pianos seem to have been made by several factories, so numbers don't help, unless the piano's action has a make and number. I can compile a report from photos.
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 11:52
Forum: Piano History
Topic: G.Ehrbar Berlin piano
Replies: 5
Views: 15629

Ehrbar

Ignoring the Viennese firm, I used to tune an Ehbar (Berlin) piano, but was unable to find anything in my files, so although it was genuinely german, it may have been an alias. See Booklets\Aliases on the PianoGen website. The item there on Numbers may also help if the piano's action has a maker's n...
by Bill Kibby
20 Jun 2003, 11:22
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Murdoch, Murdoch & Co. piano
Replies: 9
Views: 25440

Murdoch

Hi! Valuation is impossible without on-the-spot inspection. You asked about the Murdoch firm: They were a huge retail firm which took over the Spencer piano factory at the end of the 19th century. By 1914, they were listed as J.G.Murdoch & Co. Ltd. but the 1915 July issue of The Connoisseur incl...
by Bill Kibby
19 Jun 2003, 10:10
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Attfield, London, Est.1799
Replies: 1
Views: 6881

Cary

Hi! I have nothing ready on computer about the name Attfield, London so far, and I doubt that they existed in 1799, but I'll see what I can find in card and paper files. Cary is on file, mainly in the early 1900s, and what happened sometimes is that firms would buy in pianos from a London wholesale ...
by Bill Kibby
19 Jun 2003, 10:06
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Chappell piano - 1929?
Replies: 1
Views: 6245

Hi! The number suggests that your piano was made in 1929, but it is not always that simple: See Booklets\Numbers at the PianoGen website.
by Bill Kibby
16 Jun 2003, 11:30
Forum: Piano History
Topic: Spencer piano 15094
Replies: 2
Views: 11902

Hi! I tuned a similar one the other day, with a number in the 14,000 range. The action was a late example of what is know as a Sticker Action, marked with the name of Brooks Ltd., although some Spencers of the period had better actions: Brooks became a limited company around 1891, so it is after tha...
by Bill Kibby
15 Jun 2003, 09:42
Forum: Piano History
Topic: T.G.Payne-London
Replies: 4
Views: 13989

Hi! T. & G. Payne were established in London in 1891, and became a limited company around 1906. They had various addresses in Fortress Road, and moved to nearby Kentish Town Road in the early thirties. Their serial numbers are not published, but I have some rough dates: I could compile a report ...
by Bill Kibby
11 Jun 2003, 16:44
Forum: Piano History
Topic: George Brysson Piano
Replies: 3
Views: 10605

Glad to help. If it came from Scotland, I wonder if it's the scottish Brysson? I'd be interested to know whether it has a double S.
by Bill Kibby
10 Jun 2003, 20:40
Forum: Piano History
Topic: George Brysson Piano
Replies: 3
Views: 10605

Hi! The name Bryson is listed on my PianoGen website: However, George only seems to have had one "S", so your search with two would not have picked it up. Pigot's Directory of London, 1822 lists George Bryson, Piano Forte maker, 30, Hackney Road. Dr Rosamund Harding “The Pianoforte” says G...