Ernst Kaps baby grand

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dawn
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Ernst Kaps baby grand

Post by dawn »

Hi. I have just bought an Ernst Kaps baby grand with a walnut veneer. The person I bought it from had bought it from a friend about three years ago who had had it in their family from about the 1850s/60s. I would love any further information that anyone has about the maker etc. to restore the piano to absolute perfect condition would apparently cost about &2000/3000. Is it worth doing this? The piano is actually fine as it is. the restoration work would only really be needed if you were being really pendantic. thanks for any info.
dawn
dawn
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ernst kap baby grand

Post by dawn »

i should have said that the serial number on my piano is 201 which according to another web site appears to mean that it was built prior to 1868. Any further info would be appreciated.
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Bill Kibby
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Kaps

Post by Bill Kibby »

The name is Kaps, and the published numbers can be misleading, as indeed can most numbers. Look at the Numbers item at pianogen.org for general information. I could tell you more from photos, but you need an on-the-spot inspection by a tuner-technician, ideally one who is interested in antique instruments. Kaps was established in 1858, but a victorian piano is unlikely to be valuable, as explained at pianogen.org

How sure are you about this tale of its age?
Last edited by Bill Kibby on 20 Nov 2006, 15:22, edited 1 time in total.
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dawn
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Post by dawn »

i am pretty sure that it's age is genuine i.e. prior to 1870. The style would be accurate, the legs e.t.c also the person i bought it from was very genuine. He was not a dealer and really had bought it from a friend who had had it in the family for about 150 years.The serial number is 201 and looks very genuine to me. The chap i bought it from said that he had had some one to look at it i.e tune it and they had told him that it would cost between &2000- &3000 to restore accurately but then it would probably be worth between 10000- 20000. To be honest the value really does not matter. It is a beautiful piano and i would really just like to know anything about it's maker that anyone else can tell me. I see that you say victorian painos are probably not woth anything. If my piano is circa 1868 does that make it victorian? Thanks for any further info you may have. Dawn
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Bill Kibby
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Post by Bill Kibby »

I didn't mean you got the the number wrong, it's just not a reliable way of dating the piano. Why not email me, or send some photos.
Piano History Centre
http://pianohistory.info
Email via my website.
If you find old references or links on this site to pianogen.org, they should refer to pianohistory.info
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