Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Ask questions on piano history and the age of your piano.

Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Bill Kibby

Post Reply
Deon
New Member
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Jan 2019, 15:43

Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Deon »

Hi guys, I am in South Africa, I am busy fixing/restoring a Carl Ecke Berlin Piano and I was wondering if you could assist with a date. Colour is Ebony, the number stamp inside is 7926, is there also a way to trace its Origin?? Any help will be appreciated.
Attachments
B181D279-A03E-4891-AF40-C6B1A41A288F.jpeg
User avatar
Bill Kibby
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5687
Joined: 04 Jun 2003, 19:25
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Contact:

Re: Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Bill Kibby »

My Numbers page at pianohistory.info explains that dating pianos purely on the basis of numbers is often not as simple as it seems, especially as most pianos have several numbers inside. The number suggests about 1867, but there aren't many German pianos around from that early. I don't think there are any archive records surviving for Ecke. With an old German piano, the best hope is that if you look on the back of the action, it may be marked with the action makers' name and number, and I may be able to date this. Can you post photos to show what the whole piano looks like on the outside? If it mentions the 1880 Melbourne Exhibition, it was made after that event.
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
Deon
New Member
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Jan 2019, 15:43

Re: Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Deon »

Hi Bill, Thanks for the reply, I am attaching some other pics, let me know if you can see them.
Attachments
DCA188D6-03A2-4A18-96EF-071B90E2B78B.jpeg
Deon
New Member
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Jan 2019, 15:43

Re: Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Deon »

Hi Bill here’s the photo of the front, I had a look for any other numbers but there are none, there are some inscriptions on the keys, I assume its when the piano was tuned, the latest one I can read is written in Pencil - 1942, the earlier dates are not readable.
User avatar
Bill Kibby
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5687
Joined: 04 Jun 2003, 19:25
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Contact:

Re: Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Bill Kibby »

The medal shown there is from the Antwerp Exhibition of 1885, so your piano was made after that event. The action remains your most likely source of a date. The other photos didn't show up.
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
Kali
New Member
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 20 Feb 2022, 05:54

Re: Carl Ecke Berlin Date estimations

Post by Kali »

Hi Bill,

I'm interested in your replies on the age of Carl Ecke pianos. I have one that was my great grandmothers. It's serial number, stamped inside the piano on the top left hand side, is 1110. Which from what I've read, puts it as an early build, however it also has gold stamps from a furniture exhibition in Melbourne in 1880.
I can't seem to upload any photos...I press 'insert image' ...and get this.... Image
Can you share any thoughts on it's history?
and happy to upload a photo if I can work out how :)
Kali
Attachments
E4688880-F984-4F32-9AEA-CC5091699C53_1_105_c.jpeg
FEC2565F-E718-47CF-85D4-B9508B015035_1_105_c.jpeg
Post Reply