Pianotech

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says 
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

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James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
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For Howard numbers go to Acrosonic. 157xxx makes it a 1923 vintage, made by Baldwin n Cincinnati

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Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:00
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Wim this is a Howard Grand The Howard listed under Acrosonic is for vertical pianos according to my Pierce Atlas. I am not sure when designs changed to left pedals moving actions left or right but maybe by the 1950's it was not the design. Perhaps the piano was built in 1902 and the plate was replaced . Maybe I will get more info today from the owner

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:08
From: Willem Blees
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

For Howard numbers go to Acrosonic. 157xxx makes it a 1923 vintage, made by Baldwin n Cincinnati

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:00
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

the number 25846 was stamped into the keyslip and also was on the underside of the fallboard/cheekblock assembly. Based on conversation with the owner the piano was owned by her husbands grandmother who was 90 + when she died. No way to know if it was new when grandma bought it but she had the means  having been married to a successful farmer and later to a dentist. The piano spent many years in Florence South Carolina My conclusion is that the piano is 117 years old since I doubt pianos in the 1950's had true hammer rest rails like uprights.


------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-06-2019 08:59
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

Wim this is a Howard Grand The Howard listed under Acrosonic is for vertical pianos according to my Pierce Atlas. I am not sure when designs changed to left pedals moving actions left or right but maybe by the 1950's it was not the design. Perhaps the piano was built in 1902 and the plate was replaced . Maybe I will get more info today from the owner

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:08
From: Willem Blees
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

For Howard numbers go to Acrosonic. 157xxx makes it a 1923 vintage, made by Baldwin n Cincinnati

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:00
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

James-

Baldwin had the practice of stamping a working case number into lots of the case parts (wallboard, cheek blocks, even the front of the keyframe) to keep the parts identifiable after they came back from veneering, finishing, etc.  After the piano was completed, it was assigned a serial number, which is the inked number.  I would go with it.

------------------------------
Lawrence Becker
Dayton KY
513-257-1477
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:00
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

...Should be fallboard, not wallboard.  D!&^#d autocorrect!

------------------------------
Lawrence Becker
Dayton KY
513-257-1477
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-07-2019 07:59
From: Lawrence Becker
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

James-

Baldwin had the practice of stamping a working case number into lots of the case parts (wallboard, cheek blocks, even the front of the keyframe) to keep the parts identifiable after they came back from veneering, finishing, etc.  After the piano was completed, it was assigned a serial number, which is the inked number.  I would go with it.

------------------------------
Lawrence Becker
Dayton KY
513-257-1477

Original Message:
Sent: 12-05-2019 23:00
From: James Kelly
Subject: Hamilton Grand Piano - How old is it ?

I looked at a Howard Grand today owned by a neighbor two homes down from me. Going back to tune it in the morning but trying to figure its age. The inked serial number on the plate webbing is 157195 which would be 1954. A molding on the spine side between the soundboard and rim has 25846 stamped in it (not inked). That number makes it built in 1902 The fallboard says Howard Cincinnati-Chicago on the decal  Pierce Atlas says
Howard was established in 1889 with factories in Chicago Heights Ill but manufacturing was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after 1932. The trap works are metal bars and the left pedal lifts all the hammers to the strings like an upright. Middle pedal lifts just bass dampers. So.... is the piano 117 years old or 65 years old ?  I have not looked on the cheek blocks or the top of the lyre for a number but the stamped number has me curious.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------