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Topic: Is this piano worth a lot?  (Read 23290 times)

Offline theoperator

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Is this piano worth a lot?
on: December 12, 2010, 03:41:32 AM
Hey guys, I'm new here.
I have a piano in my possession which I believe to be of great age. I am not sure how old it is exactly as I bought it off a friend. The only information I am certain of is that it is a Newcombe piano. I found a number on the inside of the piano, which reads "2040". I assume this to be the piano's serial number since I cannot find any other number on the piano. It is an upright piano, and the face plate above the keys comes off entirely.

Here's a photostream of some pictures I took of the piano:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54299152@N04/?saved=1


Offline Bob

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #1 on: December 12, 2010, 04:05:23 AM
I believe you have a typical old upright.  Probably not worth anything.  There are several threads on here about these.  (Unless I'm wrong and it's a valuable piano but I doubt it.  I've never heard of that brand.)  If you want to search you can find those other threads.  It might be good for a beginner.  It might be a money pit for tuning and repairing.  It might be good for someone to experiment with tuning or just to take a piano apart.  It might be good for catapulting ;D or an art project.  If you want to get rid of it faster, put a price on it instead of trying to give it away.   ::)

The age of the instrument doesn't mean anything for value.  It could mean worn out.  I'm guessing this is a piano made when pianos were more popular -- Possibly one that was just cranked out for profit.  

That is one of the strangest bugs I've seen.  Yuck.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline theoperator

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #2 on: December 12, 2010, 04:13:33 AM
Well, it is a Newcombe piano.

Quote
Octavius Newcombe was originally a partner in the Mason & Risch Piano Company of Toronto. Mason & Risch was established in 1871 with the partnership of Newcombe with Thomas G. Mason and Vincent Rich. For a brief period during the late 19th Century, instruments were produced under the Mason, Risch & Newcombe brand name. Before 1880, Newcombe had left the firm to build pianos and organs under his own name.

The Newcombe Piano Company was established in 1878 as the Octavius Newcombe Piano Company. In 1900, the name of the company was changed to The Newcombe Piano Company. Newcombe built very high quality, durable pianos and player pianos which were mainly distributed throughout Canada. The Newcombe factory burned in 1926, and production stopped. The Newcombe name was purchased by Willis & Company of Montreal, and they continued to build pianos under the Newcombe name until 1960.
I thought it could be an antique worth some money.

Offline keys60

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #3 on: December 12, 2010, 12:38:34 PM
Operator,

 Unfortunately, antique really means nothing in the real piano world. There are so many pianos out there, that unless its one of the top few brands and restored, there is no real value. Of course a lot depends on how it plays. The strings look rusty as do the pins. The pinblock could be cracks or the holes played out to where there in not enough tension. The bass strings have not more copper color to them. The action probably has a lot of crud or rust on the flange pins and the springs may be rusty or played out. May be, not definitely. Does it play well without a lot of stuck keys? Do the hammers return properly? Does it hold its tunings? Do all of the keys work?

Hard to tell in the pics, but the hammers look newer than the rest of the action. The wood usually turns dark brown because of age and pollution/dirt. They do look kind of flat at the strike point, but still appear newer than the other action parts.

 Its a pretty piece of furniture and if it functions well, you may get a few bucks for it. Unless its a well known piano, just to name a few, Steinway, Ivers and Pond (popu;ar for that period), Mason Hamlin, Bechstein, and a host of others, most uprights are not worth a total restoration unless the value is sentimental. In that case, its worth it.

Bottom line is, its worth what someone is willing to give you for it, but I wouldn't expect much.

Sorry if thats not what you wanted to hear. ???

Offline silverwoodpianos

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #4 on: December 12, 2010, 08:07:10 PM

This is a Canadian piano well known in this country at one time.

Octavious Newcombe was an Englishman who established his own company with his brother around 1878.

These two patented several clever inventions to the upright action, and their uprights won several awards of recognition.

Nice old upright you have there; open pin block style with the ¾ plate, not constructed in this way for a long time now. The front board with the 3 inset filigreed panels is typical of the instruments of that day.

Original bass string set made of iron and features 4 keys in the upper bass with triad strings in the scaling.( I was just discussing triad strings in the bass with someone here a while back….)


The hammer set is original even though they do not look it; most likely Bohne & Co. with Weikert felt which was popular back then.

Instruments of this type do not fetch much value financially unless there has been restorative work completed on the interior mechanics.

Serial number 2040 is 1885.
Dan Silverwood
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https://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.com/

If you think it's is expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.

Offline theoperator

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #5 on: December 13, 2010, 03:07:19 AM
I received this reply after emailing TheAntiquePianoShop.com:
Quote
Thank you for your inquiry.  We have restored several Newcombe upright pianos over the years, and they are very good pianos.  According to the serial number you provided, your piano was built in 1885.  When these pianos have had a total, frame off professional restoration, they sell in the $10,000 - $12,000 range.  Restoration costs are generally around $8,500.

Offline Bob

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #6 on: December 13, 2010, 12:22:37 PM
Maybe sell it to someone else instead of sinking any money into it.  

Is the Antique Piano Shop the place that would do the restoration?  Yep....
https://www.antiquepianoshop.com/about-us/

For 8 grand, you could get a nice upright, buying a new one I mean.

I'd get a second opinion from another place.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline silverwoodpianos

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #7 on: December 14, 2010, 02:01:30 AM
I'd get a second opinion from another place.

Or the OP can ask the same question for another upright and send it to see if he receives the identical response. Try Heintzman & Co #78002 for example….

In reality those older tall uprights have no financial value unless there is some type of special or unique quality to them; the museum pieces, the ones owned by someone famous, or specialty builds like transposers for example.

The only financial value gained is the money you invest in the rebuild…..and only to a certain point.

These old uprights have other kinds of value for the many folks who still enjoy them.
Dan Silverwood
 www.silverwoodpianos.com
https://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.com/

If you think it's is expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.

Offline theoperator

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #8 on: December 14, 2010, 04:52:28 AM
I've decided not to invest in rebuilding it.

Offline Bob

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #9 on: December 15, 2010, 08:58:49 PM
I'm curious what that business will say if you email about another upright.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline silverwoodpianos

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #10 on: December 16, 2010, 01:44:58 PM

Nothing appears to be preventing you from asking them Bob.
Dan Silverwood
 www.silverwoodpianos.com
https://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.com/

If you think it's is expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.

Offline Bob

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #11 on: December 16, 2010, 11:29:00 PM
Except the inertia of laziness.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline john90

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Re: Is this piano worth a lot?
Reply #12 on: December 24, 2010, 09:30:09 AM
I agree with the others in terms of current value. Fully restored in the UK at the moment, I think you would struggle to get the equivalent of 2000 dollars for it privately. The hammers look ok for their age, hopefully the action might be nice and tight. The strings are not too rusty by the looks. A nice looking under damped action, advanced in the day. Could be a real find for someone who wants to learn Scott Joplin with a period sound. I think it would be a shame to restore it. Years ago I bought a lower quality (Roseman) upright specifically to learn the Maple Leaf Rag on, maintaining it myself on a project minimum basis. It did very well for me. Yours looks to be better quality and in better shape to start off with.
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