Rob, I believe Joe is correct, it just wasn't practical to ship a piano around the "horn". Having dealt with players and reproducers over the last 30 years, I would guess it's value to be around $1,000 to $2,000. If both the piano and the player unit need to be rebuilt I would think my photo appraisal would be generous. I own a moving and piano storage facility here and many of those ilk have gone through this warehouse having been given away or dumped. The exception are those reproducers such as Ampico, Duo-Art and Welte, and even then it's a risky investment. Check with AMICA (Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors Association) @ amica.org for more insight. Another factor that devalues those players is the fact that it is difficult and expensive to obtain rolls for them, and what value would the piano have if after spending thousand of dollars rebuilding only to discover no rolls were available? If it's a wreck of a piano, then maybe kindling would be an appropriate use. Roger Gable ----- Original Message ----- From: Joseph Garrett To: pianotech Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 2:33 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 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20101230/ea2f0010/attachment.htm>
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