[Horses]

Hi, I have a square piano by Thomas Tomkinson, I was wondering if you have any idea of the age of it. The serial number is 10799.
We are private antique piano collectors who have over 20 pre-1900's pianos and would like ages on them. Thank you.

[Bill Kibby]

Poor old Thomas Tomkison has been having trouble over the spelling of his name for over 200 years. He was one of the Royal piano makers. His numbers are not a simple way of dating his pianos, and photos are more likely to help me give an estimate; numbers ranging from 356 to 1,965 are quoted as all being about 1805, which seems unlikely, and my feeling is that we cannot date these instruments reliably by their numbers, but it may just be that people are not looking in the right place - the area inside the left front corner for square pianos. Around 1818, Tomkison's address changed from 55 to 77 Dean Street, which can be a useful clue if the full address is given. I was in Dean Street this week, and saw number77, but there were no signs of past piano-making.

I imagine that the pianos were made in number order, but so many misleading statements are made, especially on the internet, that I have been unable to sort the wood from the trees.

It isn't practical to deal with all those pianos on this forum, why not email me?
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I do not buy, sell or value pianos, but I sometimes rescue antique pianos in the UK.

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