Page
created 5th August 2005; Updated 22nd November 2007
Makes of
particular interest include: Bechstein, Bluthner, Bosendorfer, Brasted,
Brinsmead, Broadwood, Challen, Chappell, Collard, Cramer, Kaps, Fazer,
Fazioli, Feurich, Grotrian Steinweg, Hopkinson, Ibach, Kawai, Kemble,
Knight, Lipp, Petrof, Reisbach, Rippen, Ritmuller, Rogers,
Sauter, Schiedmayer, Seiler, Schimmel, Steck, Steinway, Welmar, Yamaha
and Zender. Of these makes, Steinway, Bechstein, Bluthner, Bosendorfer
Knight and Yamaha are the ones we would be most likely to buy. Please see our
restoration page for ratings of all common makes of piano.
If you are short
of time, just e-mail me with brief information about your piano to enquiry@robertspianos.com or phone 01865 240634
If you have time, please send us an email with the following information:
Is it an upright
or a grand?
Make of piano
Height of upright or length of grand (measured from the front of the
keys to the back of the piano)
Serial number if
available
How much use has
the piano had, if known.
Is the casework
in original condition as far as you know.
Brief comments
on the condition of the piano in general.
Please e-mail
this information to: info@robertspianos.com or phone 01865 240634.
At this stage,
you don't need
to send any photographs, though they would be useful to assess more
accurately how much your piano is worth.
If you take photos, please could you supply the following:
1 The piano taken from the front slightly to one side
2 Close-up of the keys and name
3 Close-up of the front with the lid closed
4 The serial number or the piano on the frame or elsewhere if you can find it.
5 About 10 hammers in the mid treble taken from above showing the indentation in the end of them
6 The strings and tuning pins taken towards from the middle, showing especially where the strings are wound onto the tuning pins.
7 The soundboard behind or under the strings
8 Any obvious defects
Please try to fit as many photos as possible into one email.
The table below gives the
best ones
available in the UK, placed in order of the most common good pianos
available. I’ve listed the ones tuners and performers regard
as
the best, irrespective of age, but taking into account tone, touch and
appearance. Prices are a
guide only. There are of course hundreds of upright pianos and we have
only listed the most common and some of the best. For a fuller list of common makes available in the UK, please see our restoration page If you are interested
in purchasing or selling a make not listed, please e-mail with details.
For Yamahas, see the menu on the left.
| MAKE |
MODEL |
HEIGHT |
YEAR |
UN-RESTORED |
RESTORED |
| Bechstein
All
models
122-145cm
1885-1929
(1-10)
There is much
variety in Bechsteins available, so it’s hard to generalize
on price. We
deal mostly in models 10, 9 and 8. Model V (5) is also very common and
often has attractive inlay, but models I to V suffer a lot from loose
tuning pins and so need repining and often a new pin-block. Model 7 is
excellent but rare. Model 6 is rarer still. |
| Bechstein
10
126cm
1902-1929 £500-£1000
£2500-£4500
Usually black,
rosewood or mahogany. Beautiful warm rich tone. NB Bass not very deep
tone. |
| Bechstein
9
122cm
1902- 1929
£700-£1500
£2900-£5000
Usually black,
rosewood or mahogany. Rich tone. |
| Bechstein
8
129cm
1902- 1929
£800-1500
£3000-£5000
Usually
black, rosewood or mahogany. Rich tone. Action difficult to set up.
Good all round piano with more “serious” tone than
models 9
and 10 |
| Kaps
One model
130cm
1898-1915
£200-£600
£2000-£3900
Well made
pianos, often decorative Art Nouveau and Art Deco with strong rich
tone. Can vary in quality. |
| Other
less common good makes include Blüthner (older ones are
usually
over-dampers), Steinway, Förster (old ones good),
Bösendorfer
(Austrian, excellent but rare), Feurich, Gors & Kallman
(varied),
Grotrian Steinweg (excellent), Ibach (older ones common but
over-dampers), Schimmell and Zimmermann (not recommended until 1995
when merged with Bechstein). Modern Bechsteins, Steinways, etc are not
listed above because they rarely appear on the second-hand market. |
– in order of
most common good ones followed by less common ones available:
| MAKE |
MODEL |
HEIGHT |
YEAR |
UN-RESTORED |
RESTORED |
| Knight |
K10 |
112cm |
1963-1988 |
£600-£1000 |
£1500-£2500 |
| Knight |
K20 |
110cm |
1963-1988 |
£600-£1000 |
£1500-£2500 |
| Modern
style. Usually mahogany, sometimes walnut or teak. Teacher’s
favorite, made with great integrity. Full singing tone for modern
piano. Older knights from 1950 to 1960 smaller and more
varied.
Post 1989 pianos are not made in the original way and are inferior. |
| Welmar |
Modern style |
104 –
108cm |
1965 - 1985 |
£300-£1000 |
£1500-£3,000 |
| Consistent
good quality, rich mellow tone and fine touch. The 30s ones are taller
pianos influenced by Blüthner (Welmar were the importers of
Blüthner) and of similar quality. |
– in order of most
common good ones followed by less common ones available:
| MAKE |
MODEL |
HEIGHT |
YEAR |
UN-RESTORED |
RESTORED |
| Welmar |
30s style |
130cm |
1928 - 1940 |
£300-£1000 |
£1500-£3,000 |
| Fine quality
with rich tone and smooth touch. In collaboration with
Blüthner, for whom they were the agents. |
Please see the restoration page.
GRAND PIANOS
For information on grand pianos, please see the grand pianos or restoration pages
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