I need Help, Please Review My Post

[geminie]

Hello Everyone

I am trying to figure out how much a family member's piano is worth. (He is in Romania and needs some help).

It's a Pramberger + Sohn built in 1803 with all it's original papers and parts. A mahogany finish with Ivory keys. Series # 126 (Grand Piano)

Would any of you know (or can estimate) the value of this piano? I'm just looking for a ballpark figure, as I will continue my research by contacting piano brokers in my area.

Also do you know of any good online auction sites specifically for antique instruments?

Thank you so much for your help

Take care,

*GeM*

[gfiore]

 Take the best offer you get.  Condition is everything, and this piano is not worth much at it's age. A collector might be interested, but unless it has some kind of historical provenance it's not worth much as it's an archaic antique that really is'nt up to modern piano standards in terms of playability.

[alzado]

We don't mind helping you if we could.   However ............................. 

I can only speak for myself, but I wish we could keep the discussion at a little higher level.  This almost sounds like a "flea market" issue.

"I have this _[old piano]__, how much $$$ can I get out of it?"   I mean, who cares about the piano, just -- "let's turn this over for a quick buck."

No one is really interested at all in this fine old piano, just the $$$$.  Most of us would like to learn more about this old piano, and who cares about the cash to be burned off?

Maybe some of these posts should go to "Miscellaneous."

Just my two cents, others might not agree.

[geminie]

We don't mind helping you if we could.   However ............................. 

I can only speak for myself, but I wish we could keep the discussion at a little higher level.  This almost sounds like a "flea market" issue.

"I have this _[old piano]__, how much $$$ can I get out of it?"   I mean, who cares about the piano, just -- "let's turn this over for a quick buck."

No one is really interested at all in this fine old piano, just the $$$$.  Most of us would like to learn more about this old piano, and who cares about the cash to be burned off?

Maybe some of these posts should go to "Miscellaneous."

Just my two cents, others might not agree.

Ok I can see how my post comes off like that, maybe I should give you a little bit more history, as to why my uncle is interested in selling the piano.

My uncle is a musician, he plays numerous instruments, including the piano, as well as his daughter. The piano was bought maybe 30-40 years ogo by him, and is in playing quality as he has been playing it at all this time.

Some of may or may not know that Romania was hit by a huge flood this past summer, and was completly devasted. My uncle lives in a small village and he has lost practically his entire house (the piano was upsatairs and not damaged). He barely has enough money to support himself and my grandma. He does not want to part with this piano, but right now, he has no choice but to try and do some research on the potential market value.

I am in Canada and have acess to internet, he has a computer and internet, but use is limited by the companies, it's very expensive and unstable. I am trying to do some resarch for him to see if selling the piano would be a good move or not.

I have turned to a forum to get opinions, and you can't make assumptions like that. I would hate to see it go, as it is a beautiful instrument, and one of the few amazing pieces of great personal value to my family.

This is not to turn over a quick buck, it's a last resort for a man who has lost everything, and now has to part with an instrument that he loves.

If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Here a few links on the crisis in Romania:
https://cidi.org/disaster/05b/ixl51.html
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4172004.stm
https://news.undp.sk/index.cfm?fuseaction=browse.article&id=5&aid=107&pid=11

Thank you for your help.

*GeM*

[geminie]

I'm not sure if this helps, but the company that made the piano originally was bought out by Steinwai(y?).

I went to a piano store owner, and he couldn't find the name of the company (Pramberger + Sohn) to look up the number of pianos made for that year (1803)

[gfiore]

 Pramberger was never bought out by Steinway.  Pramberger was a piano manufacturer in Germany. Although, Joseph Pramberger the great great grandson of the founder, along with his father Anton, was a Steinway factory employee(engineer) for many years before going to work for Young Chang in 1995 designing their Pramberger line of pianos.

[geminie]

Thank you for that, I was just trying to find some history on the company and have discover just that. All the sites that i have visted tho, that link to the official site..the links don't work (the Pramberger site is not working).

[gfiore]

 That's because of young Changs recent financial problems.