[pianotech] re Weber player grand

[James Grebe]

I get a lot of calls through my website about evaluating very old pianos 
whose owners think they are worth a lot of money.  I keep telling them older 
is not better or more valuable.  People are simply not buying very old 
pianos , at least in my area.  I do not know how Chuck can have a steady 
stream of completely rebuilt old uprights that are bringing enough money to 
justify the work.  In this area, if it is an upright , forget about selling 
it.  People do not want these old pianos around.  I am speaking for the 
general population.
James
James Grebe Est. 1962
Piano Tuner-Technician
Creator of Custom Caster Cups
Creator of fine Writing Instruments
Pump Organ  & Plyr Piano benches
Table Timepieces
Theatre and Theatre Organ Historian
www.grebepiano.com
1526 Raspberry Lane
Arnold, MO 63010
(314) 608-4137
Become what you believe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett at earthlink.net>
To: "pianotech" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 4:33 AM
Subject: [pianotech] re Weber player grand


> Rob said:
> "I have a client who has an early 1900's Weber Grand Player Piano. They 
> want to sell it, however, it's been in long term storage. I'm working on 
> gaining access to the piano to get some better info and photos but it may 
> be a week or two.
>
> I am told it came around the Cape in South America to California just 
> after the turn of the century. It spent a large amount of time in a 
> mansion in Riverside, CA and has now been in a sealed and humidified 
> storage vault in Southern California for the last 20 years.
>
> I know I'm not going to get a hard value, or even close, until I can get a 
> good look at it, but I'm curious about the approximate value range and if 
> this piano has any intrinsic value beyond just being a piano. I don't know 
> much about this model and the rarity of it. Could it be a museum piece or 
> is it just a dime a dozen?
>
> Any insight or input is appreciated..."
>
> Rob,
> I wish I was given $5.00 for every time I've heard.."it came around the 
> horn", I'd be a rich man! Sheesh! In over 35 years of dealing with 
> "antique piano clients", I've only had one client that could produce a 
> bill of lading from a ship, proving that it, in fact, did come around the 
> horn with all of the family's possessions. What ya need to understand is 
> that the Golden spike was driven around 1860's. No one, in their right 
> mind would ship a piano on a ship, when the darned railway system was 
> available. Just doesn't make sense. As for value, depends on the 
> condition. I have feeling it isn't in very good conditon. If it was 
> "interred" 20 years ago, it was, no doubt worn out, (or close to it), by 
> the 1990's!
> Of course, there are a few "cream puffs" that were never played in those 
> "mansions in Riverside".<G> ;-0
> The reality on players is that there is a very narrow market for them. 
> Especially since the Disclaviers and such have hit the scene. The cost to 
> rebuild just the player mechanism is almost as much as rebuilding the rest 
> of the darned thing.. if the work is top grade, that is. Just my take on 
> this sort of thing.
> (I suppose the Heckler's going to chime in and make me out as wrong and 
> that it can be rebuilt for less than $1,000.00!) Yeah, right. <G>
> Regards,
> Joe
>
>
> Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
> Captain of the Tool Police
> Squares R I