How much is a piano worth?

An old piano, something to do with "pohlmann and sons", and from Manchester? It is a large square piano made of dark wood with a 1 person stool. It would be great if someone knew of a type of piano which would have this writing written on it.

 

For starters:

biographical background:

This was a noted firm of piano makers and one of the oldest concerns of its kind outside London. The firm was founded in 1823 by Henry Pohlmann, thought to be related to Johannes Pohlmann, the maker of the first pianos made in England. From humble beginnings in Corn Market, by 1830 the firm had moved to Waterhouse St. In the 1845 trade directory, Henry Pohlmann is listed as a music seller. The firm developed to a point where it had showroom and warehouse premises in Princess St and a steam works, piano manufactory and warehouse in Hall St, Halifax. By 1890, 40 people were employed. The firm controlled a great number of very valuable patents, and with the exception of Messrs Erard of London, they were the first in England to make pianos with 7 1/4 octave keyboards. Pohlmanns introduced the new construction of pianos, with full iron frames, into England in 1870 and in 1871 they were the first to use the overstrung bass in upright pianos. The firm stocked pianos, organs, and harmoniums as well as a full assortment of sheet music, both vocal and instrumental. They had a big export trade, particularly to South America, New Zealand and Australia.


The decline of Pohlmanns set in during World War 1 when the then boss, Henry Pohlmann refused to allow his works to be used for making ammunition - perhaps from pacifist sympathies, perhaps because of the family's German roots. The firm stopped making pianos in the 1930s, switching to retail of radios and later TVs. It was eventually taken over by Rediffusion
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/d9553d88-b2d0-4a01-9d1d-ac4eee7f3ec8

 

Any idea how much there pianos are worth?

 

There is really quite a lot to be found on line about Pohlmann Pianos. Here's a restored one that was sold by a professional firm.

 

Yes...there was another thread on an old grand piano...the OP was probably going to have to donate it to a music school, if he could find one to take it.
In most parts of most countries, pianos are nearly worthless; they often will cost more to be put in playing condition, tuned - and moved - than they are worth. It is not uncommon for that to cost anywhere from $100 to $5,000.
Many people want electronic keyboards; few want pianos. As a result, per a piece on Canadian TV several years ago, the city dumps in Vancouver BC receive 2-3 pianos per day, and the newspapers and online ads are full of listings for "free piano, just haul it away."
But there are exceptions, and this one may be very valuable, if the right buyer can be found. Like the one mentioned by Bronwen; though one might have to get the piano to Germany....and I suspect that thousands of dollars, pounds, or marks were spent to recondition that one in order to realize the sale price.

 

They were not located in Manchester, the Exhibition was.

 

Here in the U.S. I go to a lot of estate auctions and the pianos don't sell very well, usually under $50 if any one wants them at all. That said I've seen musical items of exceptional quality sell well.

 

The ivory keys sell well though.

 

never will look at an old upright piano the same way now !!

 

that piano tuner exemplifies all that's right and proper with the human spirit..!

 

They toss them in the trash around here. (where I got mine or offer on Craigslist for free.
The problem is that most pianos just refuse to stayed tuned and tuning and repairs cost money that adds up more than the piano's worth.

 

not if it's filled to the brim.....with gold !!

 

+1
same thing here.

 

As a pianist for nearly 30 years, I can attest to what most have said here - the vast, vast, VAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAST majority of upright pianos sell for next to nothing. Unless it's by a really famous maker, and in fantastic condition - they pass hands for almost nothing at all - A few hundred bucks at most. $1,000 if you're really lucky.

It has to be an antique Bechstein, Lipp & Sohn, or Steinway & Company to be worth big money, and even then you're running a risk. They didn't get big by producing small numbers of pianos - Sure, it's a steinway - but so are MILLIONS OF OTHERS.

And the servicing and tuning on an antique piano (or any piano that hasn't been serviced for a long time) is prohibitive.

If you're a hobbyist pianist like I am, then your piano should be tuned at LEAST every five years - every two years if you're a professional. If you let it stretch out for longer between tunings - then it takes a lot longer to tune them, and the price sky-rockets. So imagine how much it costs to tune a clapped-out antique which hasn't been touched for 50 years - You can do the maths.

Our piano at home (a yamaha conservatory grand) hasn't been tuned in the better part of 10 or 12 years. Once we get it out of storage, we HAVE to get it tuned at least twice to make it playable. When we put it away, we already had ringing keys and off-notes...not pleasant.

Pianos at my local auction house, or even flea-market - sell for very little. $1,500 perhaps, for a nice grand piano. $500 and under for a nice upright. $100-$200 for anything else. Part of the reason they sell so cheap is BECAUSE it costs so much to MOVE them and then even MORE to tune them up. So people just don't wanna pay a lot, unless it's really, really, REALLY worth it.

If it's a famous piano in good condition, with ivory keys, then it might be worth something. But those are getting rare as heck. Don't remove the ivory and try and sell it - the selling point of an antique piano IS THE IVORY. They're so rare these days that even pianos with horrible ivory keys are pricey.

My old piano teacher had a massive Richard Lipp & Sohn upright in her living room. Was the better part of five feet tall, from about 1900 with original ivory keys. Playing on that thing was a dream... She was a real musicologist - you couldn't see the wallpaper on her living-room walls for all her diplomas and degrees - so her piano was kept in perfect condition.

 

Is the OP's piano an upright or a square grand? The latter might have some value if in very good condition.

 

Looks like a pretty standard upright to me.

BTW in case you've never seen one. This is a square grand:

 

Are there pictures I am not seeing? All I see is one shot of the label.

 

You're looking at the inside of the upper lid, with the tuning pins arranged vertically - only upright pianos do that.