(Again, one or two bad keys is usually not an expensive repair.) It's physically possible to play a piano with bad overall action, but it's sad and frustrating and can easily set a beginner off the whole experience. (1) try to get a friend in who plays piano and test it out to see whether it's just in need of a tuning, or whether the whole action is really off. Since pianos are a PITA to move, here's what I would suggest to minimize your hassles and expenses, assuming you really do want to have a working instrument and learn to play the piano: That's one of the major differences between something like a piano and something like a violin in this regard: a piano is an extremely complex mechanical device involving several thousand parts that can break/go bad, while a violin is a quite simple one with a few dozen parts that require repair/replacement over the years.įinally, unfortunately your particular piano has an extremely utilitarian design, so it's not got any bonus points as far as being interesting or attractive. But at that age of piano, especially if it's not been maintained by piano enthusiasts as it's aged, it might have more systematic problems that would require more costly repairs to bring it into decent playing condition (regulating the action, voicing the hammers, and replacing bridle straps are things that older pianos may need to have done to play decently-those kinds of repairs would run $500-1000 depending on how much needs to be done).
"Tuning and a few repairs" could-if you're lucky-mean a good tuning and fixing a few sticky keys and might run you a couple hundred bucks. Your provenance doesn't associate it with anyone of historical significance so it's not going to gain value that way, either.Īnother thing to consider is how much it will cost to even get the piano to good playing condition.
#WHERE WAS THE LESTER PIANO COMPANY LOCATED SERIAL NUMBER#
Thanks in advance! posted by NoraCharles to Media & Arts (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favoriteĪs others have noted, the provenance information isn't going to add much if any value on the antique piano market-modern pianos are easily identified as to their manufacturer and based on a serial number it's easy enough to figure out their year of manufacture as well. So Mefites with experience with antiques and/or pianos - is this selling this piano something I should pursue or do I just have a ‘cool story bro’ to share with friends about my piano? What sites or forums do you recommend or who might I contact to sell my piano? Or who might I contact locally (I’m in the Philly burbs) to help me out with this? There is also a stool with glass ball claw feet I don’t know it they came as a set. On google maps, that property still exists, but is vacant. On the back of this document, is a “how to care for your piano” from Lester Piano Company, 1306 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. (not pictured) a certificate from Lester Piano company dated stating that piano “53758” has a 10 year guarantee. The envelope these two documents came in, addressed, stamped and post-marked On it in pencil is written “received payment in full”. A typed receipt stating that $100 was received for partial payment for a piano, “style 26 mahogany”. I checked both addresses on google maps and neither are there anymore. North Company – makers of Lester Pianos” in Camden, NJ to Mr.
Here is a scan of 3 of the 4 documents that came with the piano. My neighbor is occasionally in touch with the previous owner’s daughter, so I do have a source to confirm/deny my hunch if I need to. In fact, in a perfect world I could get enough for it that could cover at least the cost of a new piano for me to learn on and all the moving involved.īased on the documents that came with the piano, I am 95% sure the person who bought the piano in 1917 is the father of the man who built my house in 1955. I have no emotional connection to the piano and wouldn’t be broken hearted to part with it. A friend suggested I look into it as I might have something worth more than the price of a new piano. I've been to this 'what is my piano worth' site, and I can see it’s not worth much, but I've watched a fair bit of Antiques Roadshow and have come to understand that provenance can increase the value of an item. All the surnames on my documents are the surnames of the original homeowners.Īs far as condition, on the outside, it looks pretty good for a 100 year piano, and I was told with a few tunings and some repairs it would be good to go for me to learn piano.
The previous home owners (who were the second owners of this home) inherited it from the original owners/builder when they bought the house in 2009, and were either being nice, sentimental with the house, or were too cheap to pay a piano mover (which I have come to understand often costs more than pianos). The 1914 upright Lester piano came as a “free gift with purchase” with the house I recently bought.