[CAUT] "antique" pianos?

[John Minor]

I had  an elderly private customer with an 1869 8' 5" Steinway with rosewood case and serpentine legs, etc., in mediocre condition and not very playable. I appraised it as a piano(around 10K) rather than an "antique" and she was surprised it was not worth a lot more. I attempted to explain to her on the phone that pianos need to be event older than that to have any "antique" value, or be a hard-to-find instrument. 

Has anyone had this happen? How do you explain to the public that old pianos are just that...old pianos?

John Minor
University of Illinois