Make: Broadwood

Made in: London, UK; John Broadwood pianos manufacturing history dates back to the eighteenth century, and is reputedly the oldest piano company in the world.

Made by: Broadwood

Rating: 40-85

Estimated Number In UK: 80000

Year and serial number:
No firm has serial numbers as complicated as early John Broadwood pianos and listing them here would be confusing. Please email if you want more information They simplify in 1932:

1932 - 250000

1950 - 258832

1980 - 269180

2000 - 283680

Comments

John Broadwood pianos are an inventive British firm with extreme variation in quality and style of upright and grand pianos from very old ones that aren’t really worth reconditioning if you want an all-round piano, to very good grands from about 1893 onwards, and uprights from about 1900, mixed with indifferent ones. Pre 1884 boudoir and drawing room grand pianos are very common; most of these have very fine casework in rosewood or walnut, but the mechanism is varied meaning the touch can be very poor. They are also semi iron framed and need a good climate controlled environment. However, Broadwood grand pianos with serial numbers from 45,000 to about 52,000, dating from about 1893 to 1911, are fine pianos if well reconditioned. The shorter 5ft 6in grands are very attractive and quite common. There is also a style of Broadwood grand and upright piano called “barless”, which have a simpler iron frame and are superb when restored. Broadwood upright pianos tell a similar story. There are some extremely fine ones dated around 1900 to 1930, especially the tall ones over 120cm (4ft) tall. There are some good modern Broadwood upright pianos from about 1960 to 1980. Modern Broadwoods from about 1980 are not common. They are made in a variety of countries, including the UK, Korea and Mainland Europe. Broadwood is now (2012) run by Dr Alastair Laurence, who is a well known restorer and expert in the piano trade. He occasionally produced “barless” upright and grand pianos (up to about 2005). He also works for Finchcocks piano museum in Kent.