HELP

[harvey]

James,

I realize your post was for a referral and no more. However, as I think Les
implied, there's another significant topic in your post.

Without taking anything away from Les' reply, I submit the following as
reference for you, the client, the moving folks, or the ANTIQUE dealer.

The walls of the rest rooms... at least the men's rooms, at one of my colleges
has wallpaper featuring black and white ad slicks of a bygone era. They all
appear to be from an early Sears catalog. Before turning this into bathroom
humor, let's just say my attention was 'drawn' to a particular ad: a new
Beckwith upright for $195. Beside it is an ad for a whale-boned corset. I
don't
remember the cost on that. The point here is one of datestamping versus value.

In my last experience with a Beckwith, the owner wanted new key covers. I
resisted, he insisted, I lost. (Don't know whether it's relative, but client
was an attorney). I did keycovers and bushings. He was happy. I suggested no
additional work be done. This time I won, but only after providing a ballpark
estimate.

Based on the original price and my last real-time experience, then
factoring in
time, use, original quality, and "appreciation", the Beckwith just doesn't
make
the trip to current dollars. The most realistic price bracket for it would be
in the 'free for hauling off' category. The most optimistic value would be
around fifty dollars at a yard sale, even with a piece of veneer missing.

I'm not up to speed on values, but for antique value, it's quite possible the
old corset is worth more than the piano!

[partial quote]
>Just got a call from a moving company from Kansas City, MO.  They need a
>piano tech to look at a piano in Sikeston, MO to estimate worth of a
>Beckweth piano.  I told her I would post it on the list and give her a call
>back Fri afternoon.  Any one close or know of someone who is.


Jim Harvey, RPT
harvey@greenwood.net
________________________
Greenwood (n): the largest city in South Carolina WITHOUT an Interstate