1830 Pla[^Be]yel upright

[Steven D. Majewski]

On Sat, 17 Jan 1998, Anne Beetem wrote:

> >
> >The piano is a circa 1830 Playel upright, made in France for
> >export to the US.
> 
> >What is the value of this piano if restored ?
> >( If it is valuable, I might be more wary about trying to do-it-myself,
> > or about doing a non-authentic restoration. )
> >
> 
>   I'm assuming you mean this is a Pleyel, not a Playel. 

Oops. Yes. 


> Please don't do this one yourself.  This is not a robust early 20th century
> upright, which could tolerate learning on.  David Lamoreaux is a good one
> to call.   Have him evaluate it, and then give us a report?    How about a
> JPEG picture available to the interested?


I'll get some photo's taken and digitized on the next trip up there. 
( Whether I or someone else does the restoration, it definitely makes
 sense to take detailed interior and exterior before and after pics! ) 


Doing it myself is not something I'm ready to hastily jump into.
( But I appreciate you comments: it lets me know what I might be
  jumping into! ) 
The piano has sat, unrepaired and unplayable, for about 40 years --
to dear to give away and too expensive to restore. Now that it's 
come into our possession, I'm not sure what we're going to do with
it, but if it comes down to doing it myself or letting it sit another
40 years, I'm more likely to try to do it myself! 


Do you have any books or other resources to recommend ? 
The couple of books I've looked at so far, basically "punt" on
pianos of this era. ( Well -- actually they say what you've said:
that they require a specialist. ) 


> In the field of harpsichords and early pianos,  we're used to travelling
> states away.  Don't worry about awkward.  Just be prepared to pay a
> reasonable charge for the time of the evaluator.


Thanks. The awkwardness (so far) is more with *my* travel schedule -- 
I would like to be there to ask questions. ( Since I seem to be 
needing advice as much as an estimate. ) I'll definitely have a 
professional look at it before I make any decisions. 



---|  Steven D. Majewski   (804-982-0831)  <sdm7g@Virginia.EDU>  |---
---|  Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics  |---
---|  University of Virginia             Health Sciences Center  |---
---|  P.O. Box 10011            Charlottesville, VA  22906-0011  |---
All power corrupts and obsolete power corrupts obsoletely." - Ted Nelson