<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>I doubt that either piano actually increased in “value.” They may have increased in the numerical dollar amount someone was willing to pay for them but those dollars have lost real value over that period of time. If you factor in inflation over the period you’ll find that both pianos actually lost in terms of real value. To be said to have the same value today that it had in 2006, a piano originally selling for $35,000 would have to sell for approximately $39,200 in today’ dollars. To be said to have increased in value it would have to now sell for something over that. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>ddf<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div>Delwin D Fandrich<o:p></o:p>Piano Design & Fabrication<o:p></o:p>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<o:p></o:p><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Wim Blees Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 5:47 PM To: Pianotech Subject: [pianotech] True value<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>Two things about values and inflation. In about 1998 I was asked to appraise a 5 yr old S. The customer bought it because the salesman told him it would incease in value, more than the stock market. He actually got mad at me for telling him his piano was worth $5000 less than what he paid for it. Steinway claims their pianos increase in value. They might, but not any more than any other piano. I compared the retail price of 1960 Starck spinet with what that same piano sold for in 1995, with what a Steinway grand was sold for in 1960 and again in 1995, and both increased in value the same percentage. If you did the same with almost any brand, iver a similar time frame, you would find the same thing. What will make a Steinway worth more, however, is the quality of contruction. But if both pianos were properly taken care of, the values would be comparable. Wim Blees Hawaii Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T<o:p></o:p></div></body></html>