Upright Brinsmead piano

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NualaMS
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Upright Brinsmead piano

Post by NualaMS »

Hi, I inherited my grandad’s piano which has been unused for many years. My grandad was a serious musician who regularly won medals in Dublin’s Feis Ceol in the 1915-25 era, and my mother played to a good level too. I’ve always been told it was a “good piano” and the tuners always said it had a “great tone”.
I’m looking for advice as to whether it is worth restoring or not. I attach photos.
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Bill Kibby
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Re: Upright Brinsmead piano

Post by Bill Kibby »

I could probably tell you more if we could see what the WHOLE piano looks like, but nobody can guess what needs doing to it, or whether it is worth doing, without inspecting it on the spot, so your local tuner is the person to ask.
Is that the only number inside the top of the piano?
And which Brinsmead is it? What is the complete, exact wording on the piano?
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NualaMS
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Re: Upright Brinsmead piano

Post by NualaMS »

This is what the piano looks like. It seems the wood has been painted/treated with black coating except the inlaid design.
The structure inside seems different to more modern pianos I’ve seen online.
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Bill Kibby
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Re: Upright Brinsmead piano

Post by Bill Kibby »

It appears to be a typical Edwardian upright, but you still haven't told me which Brinsmead it is, or what other information is written on there. If it is John Brinsmead, the number would suggest something around 1887, but this seems wrong, so open the top and have a look inside, and there may be other numbers there that may give us a more likely date.
Again, if it is John Brinsmead, there may be pictures of exhibition medals inside the top, and the piano will have been made after the last year shown.
http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html
explains that the inlaid panel design may also indicate that it is Edwardian, but that is only a rough guide. Dark polish was common then, it usually hides a variety of woods.
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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