Bush and Gerts Chicago Piano worth?

[speckhart]

I would like to know how valuable this piano is. Its a Bush and Gerts Chicago Brand, the serial number is 25555. The key cover folds into two pieces. The veneer is coming apart, it is in poor condition. Part of the face, above the key board, is coming off. Has an auction date of 12/11/27 wrote on the back. All I could find out was that it was made before 1905 or 1915 according to some websites. I would appreciate any help.
It's in a basement of a house, and I either want to drag it out of the basement before we burn the house, or at least take parts from the piano.

[silverwoodpianos]

Save your energy and leave it where you have found it. After looking at the photos there are no redeemable parts on this one.

The detail work on the front panel can still be found today, the legs and pilasters are interesting but a hassle to remove, you would have to flip the instrument on its back.........

The decal under the top board would not be available today. Those large decals are worth a lot of money now, but there is no way to lift it off.....

The entire inside components would have to be replaced......doing uprights of this sort within today’s pricing, you are looking at a minimum of 10-15k to restore something like this to showroom condition.

Even more with sounding board/bridge replacement.........this is why restorative work is not completed on many of these instruments now. With the open style pin block, this is a turn –of- the- last- century piece.

Interesting to note that this would have sold new for around $180-200 dollars......

Serial # 26000 starts 1907.

[usahockey]

Probably it's worth nothing...

[Bob]

Or less than nothing.  It's still taking up space and someone has to move it out. 


Worthwhile for practice tuning (if that's possible) or just for curiousity to take it apart and mess with it.

[quantum]

Might be of interest to performers or composers that like doing weird things with pianos.  Stuff that they wouldn't be allowed to do on that immaculate Bose in the concert hall.

[keys60]

Once a gem. I would save the music desk for kicks. The piano is not worth anything.

[Bob]

Potentially useful as the centerpiece of a fundraiser where they catapult it or push it off a roof. 

I'm surprised I haven't heard about anyone turning more old uprights into art or furniture.  There are a lot of them out there and are free except for moving them.

[silverwoodpianos]

 Hey Bob,

Check this out for a garden planter……this is a Picasa web album. Please left click once on this link below and then once on the first photo top left. This will open up the album so that you can read the text below each frame. Then scroll forward using the arrow above the photo…… this is in the front yard of the old homestead…….cheers,

http://picasaweb.google.com/silverwoodpianos/TheSeasonsAtSilverwoodPianos#