I've just bought a second hand piano

[Iain Kirkpatrick]

Home,

I wonder if you could help. I have recently purchased an upright piano with
a German sounding name. The makers of the Piano are "Carl Scheel Cassel".
And the previous owner seemed to think it was of German origin around the
early 20th century. However, I can't seem to find any information on the
Manufacturers anywhere on the Internet. I am a complete novice to the world
of Pianos but I'm trying to find some history about my piano. The piano
stands at 53inches tall and sounds great when played well. It is made of
mahogany and is extremely heavy. It also has a cast iron inner casing ( not
wood). It also seems to state an address of the
makers on a brass plaque inside the strings area. It reads
"Hof-Leif.Sr.Maj.d.Kaisers & Konigs". There are also some numbers listed
inside the piano. No.6868 printed inside piano upright on left hand side.
And 4887 printed on top under the flap.
It seems that these piano's were only manufactured between 1837 and 1846.

I hope you can shed some light.

Best regards
Iain

[Victor Levy]

Iain,

A quick search on Google.com reveals the Dutch-language Web page,
http://www.refdag.nl/econ/000228econ07.html, about piano restorers who are
working on a piano from the same manufacturer. I'm not very good at Dutch
but I get from it that Carl Sheel had been a master piano maker with
Bechstein in Berlin before starting his own operation in Cassel.

Vic

"Iain Kirkpatrick" <iain.kir...@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:PnC96.6961$3N1.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...

[Max Kuenkel]

> "Hof-Leif.Sr.Maj.d.Kaisers & Konigs".

That's short for:

"Hof-Lieferant Seiner Majestät des Kaisers & Königs", which means:

"Official supplier to his Majesty the Emperor & King".

[Pianonumbers]

"Iain Kirkpatrick" <iain.kir...@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:PnC96.6961$3N1.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...

> It seems that these piano's were only manufactured between 1837 and 1846.
>

That's what *Pierce Piano Atlas* says but...
The Europe Atlas says:" established 1846 and closed 1929 ".

Which one's right?

--
Walt
http://pianonumbers.com/

[Iain Kirkpatrick]

Yeh, I got that Vic thanks. My knowledge of Dutch is no better and even in
translation it doesn't give too much away. Thanks for your help.

Iain

Victor Levy wrote in message ...

[Iain Kirkpatrick]

Thanks for all your help. However, I'm none the wiser. I'll continue with my
research.

Regards

Iain

Iain Kirkpatrick wrote in message ...

[Niles Duncan]

Re: Carl Scheel

The following is excerpted from "Pianos and Their Makers" by Alfred Dolge
originally published in 1911:

"Carl Scheel of Cassel worked for Erard from 1837 to 1846, during the later
years as superintendent. He had learned so much in Paris that his business,
founded in 1846 was a success from the start. An acknowledged master of his
art, he attracted many young men, desirous of studying under him, among whom
Georg Steck later made a name for himself in New York."

Finding information on obscure piano makers is a lot like asking for the
history of O'Dell's service station that was on the corner of Magnolia Blvd.
and Cauhenga Blvd in North Hollywood California from 1946 to 1955.

Niles Duncan
http://www.pianosource.com

[dennis meulensteen]

Victor,
close, the site says that Carl Scheel was once Bechstein's teacher! This
particular piano is over a century old.
The page is mostly about the guys doing the restorations and their work
shop.
It doesn't really contain more info on that particular piano, except
that it was exceptionally dirty when they started and the owner wants to
French-polish it himself!

That's about the gist of it, as it applies to the Carl Scheel.

Dennis.

"Victor Levy" <lev5...@ho515me.com> wrote in message
news:rSC96.228392$hD4.56...@news1.rdc1.mi.home.com...