Hi, I was given a old piano when my grate grandfather passed away 3years ago. I was hoping to find out if it is an antique and any other information I can on it. All the details are bellow (all found on the inside of the top of the piano)
Pianoforte-fabrik von w.biese
Hof-lieferant
Berlin
57. Schutzen-strasse 57.
It also has 3070 in a few places.
It also has two coin type pictures and one has 1875 on it. But I don't know if that was when it was made or the company started?
It is an "up right" type piano.
It has large rose's carved in the legs, and I'm very sure the keys are ivory.
ANY info would be very glady acepted
Thank you, j.s, AUSTRALIA

Hi, hanginaround!

How many keys does it have? Also, if it has a seat of some kind, is the seat a bench, or a round stool?

I've been a piano tuner/technician since 1974.

Thanks!

Hi it has 50 white keys and 35 black ones, thanks heaps for any info

Also, it used to have a bench seat but I have not seen it for about 8 years and don't know where it has gone, thank you

Hi again, hanginaround!

Woud it be possible for you to post a couple of images of it here?

The number of keys that it has makes it slightly shorter than an modern piano. So, there is the likelihood that it might be quite old.

Thanks!

Hey, I have been trying to upload pictures of it but I can't get it to work, do you have an email address I could send them to maybe? Thank you

Hi again, hanginaround!

Once a thread has been started, things need to stay on the thread so that others with similar questions can benefit by the answers that are given and the information that's exchanged.

Do you already have images of it that are in your computer?

Thanks!

Hi, yes I have lots of pictures of it. I tried to post them on here by going to the "advanced" answer and clicking add file, I then put some up and the only thing on there was "close windoe" so I couldent upload them. Thanks

I don't know if these pictures will come up, I'm still trying to work it out lol

Hi again, hanginaround!

Hey, congratulations! You were successful in posting the images!

Now, what I would appreciate you doing, is to take the music rack and kickboard off and see if there is any information in the form of words or numbers on the metal plate and/or on the soundboard.

Thanks!

I hope this is the pictures you meen lol, thank you

Thanks for posting the images, hanginaround!

What I'm seeing, is that your piano might be what's called a "bird cage" piano. If so, then it most likely is dated from the 19th century. A "bird cage" piano is called such, because the damper wires are on the side of the action nearest to the player, rather than being behind the action, near to the strings, as they are in a modern, vertical piano.

I could be incorrect about that, though. It's kind of hard to see the things that I need to see by the images that you've provided. You're posting of the images was great! But, having more detail of the action would be appreciated! There is no problem with what you posted with images concerning the outside of the case.

If you could provide some larger images of close-ups of the action, that would be helpful!

Thanks!

Hey, I was not real sure of what you needed, I'm not to good with this sort of stuff, hope this is what you meant :) thanks heaps for this

Hi again, hanginaround!

Yep! Now that I can for sure see where the hammers are located, it's definitely a "bird cage" piano.

Very difficult and expensive to tune, because the action needs to be removed by the tuning person in order for the "strings" to be plucked individually to facilitate the tuning of it. The tuning person can't simply play the keys to tune it...

Not that it's not worth having, though! I want one of them that's dated into the 1860's. I'm going to be bartering with a friend to get the one that she has. I do have an interesting story to tell about the one that I want, if you might want to read about it... Please let me know.

I would like to hear what this piano sounds like. There is a way to do that. But, it would help to facilitate doing that, if we're both on here at the same time.

We're both on opposite time frames as well as schedules. So, I know that doing that is going to be difficult, but it can be done.

Thanks!

Hi, yes please do tell! It would be interesting to hear about these sort of pianos.
Would you have a ruff guess as to the age? Or if I should insure it for a lot?
I'm just wondering if I can put a sound file on here? Thanks