Robert Cocks & Co.

[scottnroxy]

I have just received a very old Piano from my Grandma. When I opened it up I found a label that said;

Robert Cocks & Compny (Yes that is how it is spelled)
To her most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria,
H. R. H. The Prince of Wales, &
His imperial Majesty the Emperor Napoleon III,
6, New Burlington ST. Regent ST. London, W.
& 4, Hanover Square, London.

I also found a number that was stamped on each part; 528. And one written inside below the stamped number; 2528. It is a burl wood upright with metal candle holders on each side. It is in good shape. Playable. I have pictures. I just wish to know if it is something special as it seems, or if it is just another old and beautiful piano. I am not looking to sell it. But I would like to know if it has any value. Please contact me right away if you have any info for me. Thank you, Scott USA

[Bill Kibby]

A name doesn't tell me anything much about the individual piano, apart from the fact that it is probably before about 1904. The address suggests something between about 1862 to 1894. To quote my Home page at http://www.pianohistory.info , it's fair to say that although I am fascinated by Victorian pianos, unrestored ones rarely fetch as much as 90 pounds at local auctions here in the UK, indeed many fetch less than 20 pounds. I would be interested to receive emailed photos. Cocks used a misleading sentence "Pianoforte Manufacturers & Music Publisher to Her Majesty The Queen". In fact, he wasn't piano maker to the Queen, just music publisher to the Queen.

[Pianomate]

Napoleon III was emperor from 1852 to 1870 so that should narrow it down a bit.

[Bill Kibby]

No, because they continued mentioning his name for many years after his death in 1873.

[Pianoindia]

I have a Robert cocks & compy
Pianoforte manufacturers & music publishers
To her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria
& HRH the Prince of Wales
6, Burlington street. Regent st. London W
And 4, Hanover square London.

This is in India, and was owned by a British lady in Bangalore from whom my parents bought this Piano.

[Bill Kibby]

As I said when you emailed me, the Hanover Square address suggests a date after 1861, but without photos of the whole piano, I can't tell you anything more. It is interesting that Napoleon doesn't seem to be mentioned.

[Bill Kibby]

These are based on your photos of the piano and its name transfer.

The fact that it refers to Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales might suggest that it was made before Victoria died in 1901, but my initial estimate, based purely on the photo, was that your piano was made around 1904, so you might like to read the general information at
http://pianogen.org/edwardian.html
as well as the notes on Cocks near the bottom of the page at
http://pianogen.org/archives.html
However, around 1902, Robert Cocks & Co. moved from New Burlington Street to Erard's old premises at 18 Great Marlborough Street, and this suggests that your piano was made before then. In 1904, Cocks & Augener were united under the name of Augener Ltd., and it is presumed that Cocks & Co. ceased to exist as such.

Some Cocks pianos made around the 1890s had similar name transfers, but they also referred to Napoleon III, who died in 1873. It would still be helpful to me to know if there are any numbers written inside the top of the piano.

[Pianoindia]

Thank you for your prompt reply. Will post you the details of the number once the tuner comes over.

[Bill Kibby]

Don't worry about it, I was not looking for anything more technical than opening the top to see if there are any numbers visible.

[Pianoindia]

No numbers on it

[Hobartsinger]

Cocks pianos - Just stumbled on this lovely conversation!
Here are 3 photos taken of the internals of a Robert Cocks piano [colonial import] at a Hobart Salvation Army depo store [Op SHop] it looked so old I took some photos to send to a tuner friend of mine. Is it worth anything, or worth going back for?
Cheers Rosie
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks but I have no dealings with facebook, it won't let me view the photos. Any chance you could email them to me? The links all seem to be the same. And could you show me what the WHOLE piano looks like, that is often more useful than interior details.

To quote the main page on my own website, nobody anywhere can guess the value or condition of a piano without inspecting it on the spot, and checking how well it holds in tune, so your local tuner is the best person to ask about that. Here in Britain, where antique pianos are plentiful, unrestored ones have very little value, and I am offered several each year for nothing, just to rescue them from being scrapped. The most important factor deciding the value of a piano is not its name, but its condition, and the most important aspect of that is whether it holds in tune, because if it doesn't, repairs can cost over a thousand pounds, and this is usually more than an old piano is worth. Piano dealers don’t normally deal with antiques, and antiques dealers don’t know much about pianos.