[pianotech] Cramer Piano

[Rex Roseman]

Joe

I did see that the Cramer name was taken up by Kemble, but from what I could
discern between The Musician's Piano Atlas and the Pierce Piano Atlas it
wasn't clear if they made this piano. It also doesn't tell anything about
what level of piano it would have been originally. Two interesting sites
that were suggested by others were
http://www.piano-tuners.org/history/cramer/index.html and
http://www.robertspianos.com/top-makes/common-piano-makes-in-the-uk/cramer-p
iano/. The piano pictured at the bottom of the second site is the exact
style of the one that I inspected.

The reference to be comparable to a Baldwin is very helpful.

Thanks

Rex


-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Garrett [mailto:joegarrett at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 2:31 PM
To: pianotech
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Cramer Piano

Rex asked:
"I have a customer that would like to have information on a Cramer piano. It
is an upright # 53889 made in London between 1910-1920. The piano was moved
from England to Canada and later to the New Jersey and then to Ohio. This is
a family piano and they are debating moving it to Connecticut. I looked at
the piano for them and except for the normal wear on the original hammers
for a piano this age; it is in very good condition.
  
The books I have don't give any information about the maker. Can anyone shed
some light on the Cramer company and the quality of their work?
  
Thank you in advance."
 
 Rex,
I think you need to get better "books".<G> I looked it up in The Pierce
Piano Atlas and found that it was a name that Kemble of England used.
Kemble of England, (NOT Kimball!<G>), was a large manufacturer. IMO, they
made adequate instruments. I've worked on Cramers and Kembles. U.S.
equivalent would be like Baldwin. 
Hope that helps.
Joe 


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I