[Caraline]

After more than 30 years I’ve received back the piano my grandmother bought for me (in Australia) in 1965. As I remember she said that it was an old German piano that had been rebuilt. The only markings I can find on it, is the word “Dresden” printed in gold lettering under the music stand, the name of the company it was bought from – Naylor & Co of Castlereagh Street, Sydney (no longer in business) and a number that seems to have been punched into the inside of the cabinet - 12570. It looks to be made of walnut burl. Presumably all of the insides would be of a more recent age than the cabinet and I do remember that when it was purchased it did look sparklingly new inside. As the old thing has quiet sentimental value I’d dearly love to be able to learn even the smallest bit of information regarding its history or origins.

[Bill Kibby]

It really is not practical to put an old case onto new innards, it is all German and original, with the exception of the trusses which support the keyboard, they look too plain. The best hope of finding its date is probably the action - the working parts of the notes. If you know how to remove it safely, it may be marked somewhere with the action makers' name and number, and we may be able to date this. I imagine the name was originally above the music desk, and Dresden was the place of origin.
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I do not buy, sell or value pianos, but I sometimes rescue pre-1890 pianos in the UK.

For more details see my own website: http://www.pianogen.org

Piano History Centre

The World's Largest Collection of
Historical Information about British Pianos.

[Caraline]

Thanks for the info so far Bill. That is progress on what I had. I am organising a piano restorer/tuner to come & look at it & hopefully do some work on it in about 3 weeks time, when it has had a chance to settle into it's new environment. Hopefully he will be able to find some more markings on it. I am not game to strip it down any further than I have so far. I'll get back to you with any new information that might be found. Much appreciate your comments!