<HTML><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">In a message dated 10/8/02 11:56:08 PM Central Daylight Time, Wimblees@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Gordon For insurance purposes the piano is a 1915 model, that had some work done to it. Even if that work was done perfectly, the fact is, it is still a 85 year old piano. For insurance purposes, I would put a 1915 S&S Model M's value at about $7500. Over and above that thought, though, be sure to tell your customer about replacement insurance. That is a rider on a homeowner policy, that will replace any old thing with a new thing. In other words, if his house burns down, even if he didn't have the piano appraised, he would get a new M, as long as the cost of repairing his old one didn't exceed the cost of buying a new one. Since it most likely will not do that, he will get enough money to get his piano completely rebuilt. If he had it appraised for $7500, and the piano was destroyed, he would only get $7500, to either get it repaired or towards a new one. Wim </BLOCKQUOTE> Wim and Gordon, I have not seen a Steinway "M" in that price range for several years and I am talking wholesale prices.  I do not want to inflate the value of used Steinways but just to find a rebuildable "M" to restore will cost in the $10,000.00 range, (I have bought 4 in the last 2 years).  If the Steinway we are talking about gets destroyed the owner would find it nearly impossible to replace it with just $7500.00. My vote would be in the $12,000.00 to $15,000.00 range depending on the condition. David Koelzer Vintage Pianos DFW</HTML>