[CAUT] "antique" piano

[Fred Sturm]

On Aug 18, 2008, at 11:59 PM, John Minor wrote:

>  I was just curious what "antique" appraisers actually say about  
> these older pianos. Has anyone heard first hand what kind of prices  
> they put on these instruments?

	I guess the bottom line is that probably there really isn't any  
"antique value" for pianos with very few exceptions (one off art  
cases, provenance like being Liszt's personal piano, and some very  
rare quite old). If there was an antique value, we'd surely know about  
it amongst us. There would be appraisers who specialized in old pianos  
(not shysters like Chris described, legitimate trained ones).
	Why is this? Must be supply and demand. There are just so darned many  
old pianos out there. There must be millions in the 80 plus age  
bracket in the US alone. Probably well over a million of pre-1900  
vintage. If someone wants an old piano, there are plenty available for  
cheap.
	I used to follow a column in Early Music, where they reported on old  
instruments sold through Sotheby's and Christie's, etc. Prices for  
pianos tended to be pretty moderate, even for things that seemed  
pretty special.  (I was particularly interested in Broadwood squares  
of 1800-1810 vintage, as one had been donated to UNM. Prices of  
similar instruments were well under $500 - far different from what the  
donor assumed). I certainly believe there is considerable intrinsic  
value in an 1860s Steinway grand, but unless there are people out  
there collecting them or whatever, that doesn't translate to monetary  
value.
	Maybe over time, with internet communication, there will be a market  
for at least some of the more rare beasts. Part of the problem is  
communication, as it is difficult to match a person looking with a  
person selling. (People sometimes ask me to appraise harpsichords in  
Albuquerque, wanting to sell one. I tell them, quite honestly, "I have  
never seen one sell here, so I can't really give you reliable  
information. You need to look at a national market.")
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu