Make: Challen

Made in: London, UK

Made by: Challen

Rating: 50-68

Estimated Number In UK: 90,000. About 30,000 baby grands 4ft 3in to 5ft 6in.

Year and serial number:
1900 - 26260

1920 - 35814

1940 - 66482

1960 - 87529

1980 - 104455

Comments

WE RESTORE SELECTED MODELS OF THIS PIANO. One of the most common London makes. Challen generally made medium quality upright and baby grand pianos. There are a few pre 1900 Challen uprights which can be decorative and have a warm tone. The best challen uprights were made from about 1900 to 1935. They were also the UK’s most prolific baby grand manufacturer, and large quantities of mahogany baby grand Challen pianos 4ft 6in to 5ft 6in made from 1900 to 1935 are still in service. We often restore the less common and very attractive walnut ones. Challen are also thought to have been involved in designing the 4ft 9in London Bechstein baby grand, which reveals many similarities to the Challen, though this piano was apparently made in the Welmar factory (source: Alastair Laurence, 2012). There are many Challen upright pianos in the UK, dating from about 1960 to 1980, varying from medium to fair quality.