[fieriq]

My mother-in-law recently bought a baby grand piano for my husband and me at a Somerset Auctionl. It was described as an "Alois Kern" antique baby grand piano from Austria.

It is a beautiful piano and sounds wonderful. I am now trying to find any information I can about it.

On the front (above the keys) center it says
"Weltausstellung 1873"
under that there is a two-headed bird of some sort with
verdienst medaille under that.
Under that it says "Alois Kern"
Under that it says "Wien"

On each side of the 2 headed bird thing are circles with writing in them.
The left one says: "Silberne Medaille" around the word "Paris"
The Right one says "Weltausstellung" around the number "1878"

On the inside under the strings there is a large oval with 4 circles in it and various other things.

It starts with two dragons on either side of a coat of arms. Under the left dragon it says "Viribus" and under the right dragon it says "Unitis"
Then there is "Alois Kern" on a banner. Under that it says "Piano*Forte*Fabrik" on another banner.

The 4 circles each say different things:

The leftmost circle has a man's head in it. On the top it says
"Wien" then around the edge it says "Franz Josef Kaiser Von Oesterreich,
Koenig Von Boenmen Koenig Von Ungarn"

The next circle says "Paris" on top and "Exposition Universalle Internationale de 1878"

The 4th circle has "1873 Weltausstellung wien" and Dem Verdienste

IN the center is a coat of arms with 5 castle towers on top, some fleur-de-lis under that and they a 3 masted sailing ship with oars"

Then there is a banner that says V. Be Zentagasse 12. Under that is
No. 3123 and then very, very tiny it says (I think) Lith M Burian, Wien.

I don't find any other numbers any where on the piano. I'm sorry this has been so long. I would appreciate any help you could offer.

[Bill Kibby]

I am already dealing with this enquiry by email, but we have no information about this maker.
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I do not buy, sell or value pianos, but I sometimes rescue pre-1890 pianos in the UK.

Have a look at the Datemarks page on my own website: http://www.pianogen.org

Piano History Centre