Who buys olde squares?

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

David:

Received a call from a non-client wanting to ascertain the value of their 
McPhail square grand the other day.  The lady was not interested in a service 
call/evaluation/appraisal, but still hoped to glean from the conversation 
what the value of her piano was.  She said she had spoken with a furniture 
dealer in Orange County who would not pay more than $500, but could sell it 
for $45,000!  The dealer had allegedly just sold one for $45K, and claimed to 
have a market of buyers in that price range.  The caller hoped to obtain a 
similar story from me, because she is moving and wants to sell her square.  I 
was not, of course, able to help her with this.  

Since we should not rely on hearsay for establishing value, this story should 
be discounted.   But I wonder if the longstanding position of the square in 
the $1K to $5K ballpark is changing.  

Bill Shull
University of Redlands, La Sierra University
Loma Linda, CA

In a message dated 99-05-20 02:44:51 EDT, you write:

<< A friend in Auburn, California is looking to sell an old (1870's), intact  
 Vose & Sons square.  Serial #8387.  I really don't know anything about the 
market
 for such pianos (being one of those technicians who works mostly 
 on old uprights) but would like to point him in the right direction.  What 
are
 such old squares worth? Who is looking for them? Etc?
 
 -david parkhurst
  >>