John Brinsmead & Sons
3C273
Someone gave me a piano last week for the price of hauling it away and I am
looking for any information you can provide. The piano is an "Upright Iron
Grand" by John Brinsmead & Sons and has a serial number(?) of 24401 stamped
in large numbers on the top of the case(?) below the little door that lifts
up on top. Sorry for the lack of proper terminology, although I am a
musician and can play a little bit of piano, I do not know the names of the
parts:-) Any help is appreciated. (With the piano or the names of the
parts:-)
Louis
M. Slater
>up on top. Sorry for the lack of proper terminology, although I am a
>musician and can play a little bit of piano, I do not know the names of the
>parts:-)
Sounds cool! Does it have switches made from "elefant bone" and iron foot? Just
curious.
Mark
STEVEN G LEWIS
unless it has a distinctive case, it's probably not worth what it costs to
haul it.
"3C273" <Nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:tj9mrta...@corp.supernews.com...
3C273
The piano is fully functional, sounds nice, and I don't know if you would
call it "distinctive', but it is very nice to look at. The only thing it
cost to haul was a few aching muscles so I'll consider it a bargain. Thank
you again for your input.
Louis
"STEVEN G LEWIS" <sch...@flash.net> wrote in message
news:6d6Z6.1274$K87.66...@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
3C273
post quoted here:
*******
>And her piano had iron foot and switches made from elefant bone.....
>
Funniest thing all week on rmmp.
Mark
*******
I guess it's just not as funny the second time around. Perhaps you should
have spent some of those 40 years of playing experience at comedy school.
Thanks for a most useless reply.
Louis
"M. Slater" <harpsic...@aol.comedy> wrote in message
news:20010623151333...@ng-ct1.aol.com...
STEVEN G LEWIS
The "iron" part of the title no doubt refers to the fact that it has an iron
plate, which was somewhat unique in 1864.
Most English pianos that I've seen from that era had what we commonly refer
to as a
"birdcage" action. Most piano tuners (myself included) will refuse to work
on them because they are very difficult to tune, and the damper system is
virtually impossible to get to work adequately.
Often those pianos originally had candlestick holders on each side of the
music rack. You might see a remnant of that there.
Unfortunately there are so many of those pianos that still exist that they
really don't have much value unless, as I said, they have a unique case,
wood carvings, etc.
"3C273" <Nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
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3C273
While I am certainly interested in it's value, that is not my primary
concern as I have no intention of parting with it. I borrowed the tools from
a friend and was able to get it in tune with itself. (A is about 1 1/2 steps
below 440.) While it may not be tuned to the standards of a piano tuner (I
am quite sure it is not), at least there are no more terribly "sour" keys
and it has already given me many hours of pleasure. The candle holders are
still there and apart from small piece of missing scrollwork the whole piano
is in great shape. It was owned by a 96 year old lady who I believe owned it
most of her life and it appears to have been well cared for. Thanks again.
Louis
"STEVEN G LEWIS" <sch...@flash.net> wrote in message
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STEVEN G LEWIS
Your statement: "hours of pleasure" is what its all about!
:))
"3C273" <Nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
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M. Slater
>have spent some of those 40 years of playing experience at comedy school.
>Thanks for a most useless reply.
>Louis
Louis, the reference was to another post on this ng about a different ancient
piece of junk piano. Sorry it didn't amuse you.
Mark
Barrie Heaton
<Nos...@nospam.com> writes
>Hello,
>Someone gave me a piano last week for the price of hauling it away and I am
>looking for any information you can provide. The piano is an "Upright Iron
>Grand"
They were using 3/4 iron frames (plates )
> by John Brinsmead & Sons and has a serial number(?) of 24401 stamped
>in large numbers on the top of the case(?)
That will be the ends of the case
>below the little door that lifts
>up on top.
Top Door
>Sorry for the lack of proper terminology, although I am a
>musician and can play a little bit of piano, I do not know the names of the
>parts:-) Any help is appreciated. (With the piano or the names of the
>parts:-)
>Louis
>
>
The age that has been given is wrong not the posters fault. However,
they became John Brinsmead and Sons in 1870. The sons John and Edgar
joined the company in 1861 serial numbers can be out as much as 10
years with some of the older makes in {1}Pierce, Your piano was made in
1870 and could be as young as 1876 look at the awards inside the top lid
see what the youngest is. For history you may wish to look at
http://www.uk-piano.org/history/brinsmead.html
Barrie,
{1} the information given to Pierce will have been approximated numbers
and not well researched. There are a few well known makes in Pierce
whose early dates are suspect UK and German makes the US ones tend to be
correct.
--
Barrie Heaton PGP key on request http://www.a440.co.uk/
AcryliKey Ivory Repair System UK © http://www.acrylikey.co.uk/
The U.K. Piano Page © http://www.uk-piano.org/
Home to the UK Piano Industry
Rick Clark
>The age that has been given is wrong not the posters fault. However,
>they became John Brinsmead and Sons in 1870. The sons John and Edgar
>joined the company in 1861 serial numbers can be out as much as 10
>years with some of the older makes in {1}Pierce, Your piano was made in
>1870 and could be as young as 1876 look at the awards inside the top lid
>see what the youngest is. For history you may wish to look at
For any piano trivia buffs out there: Edgar Brimsmead published a book
on the history of the pianoforte in 1879.
Regards,
Rick Clark
Rick Clark
>Hello,
>Someone gave me a piano last week for the price of hauling it away and I am
>looking for any information you can provide.
>Mr. JOHN BRINSMEAD, the founder of the firm of pianoforte manufacturers, Messrs. John Brinsmead and Sons, London, died on Monday night at his residence in Albert-road, Regent’s-park, London, in his 94th year. Mr. Brinsmead was a native of Wear Gifford, North Devon, and served his apprenticeship to a cabinet-maker in Torrington, in the same country. When just of age he came to London, worked for a time as a journeyman cabinet-maker, and in 1837, after a short period of partnership with his brother Henry, began business as a pianoforte maker at Windmill-street, Tottenham-court-road, removing to the neighbouring Charlotte-street in 1841. The next removal was to the present warehouse of the firm in Wigmore-street, in 1863, when the present style of the firm was adopted; and in January, 1900, the firm became a private limited company, one of the directors being the late Mr. Edgar Brinsmead, Mr. Brinsmead’s younger son. At the exhibition of 1851 the pianoforte exhibited by Mr. Brinsmead
was awarded a medal, and this success has been repeated at other international exhibitions during the last 50 years. The first improvement in the pianoforte Mr. Brinsmead perfected was in the sticker action, which he made prompter in its working and steadier in its blow. Next he improved the top or plank bridge, with the result that he obtained the clear, bell-like treble which hitherto had been wanting. This and other improvements brought in such an increase in business that Mr. Brinsmead was able to fit up labour-saving machines in his factory in Chenies-street, Tottenham-court-road, and to do there his own fret-cutting work. About this time the tape check action was becoming general, and he had lathes fitted up to make his own actions. A fire which destroyed the works and swept away all the valuable machinery gave the firm a temporary setback, but the piano trade came to Mr. Brinsmead’s rescue with a stock of seasoned timber and he was able to make a fresh start in another
factory. At the Exhibition of 1862 Mr. Brinsmead exhibited three pianos, two of which had the check-repeating action, and the third the improved sticker action. The following year he produced the first grand pianoforte, the case of which was made by Mr. John Broadwood, who assisted Mr. Brinsmead in the difficulty caused by the absence of appliances. During his business career Mr. Brinsmead received many awards and Royal Appointments, the French Government decorated him with the Cross of the Legion of Honour, and he was a Knight of one of the Portuguese Orders. Mr. Brinsmead married in 1837 Miss Susan Brown, daughter of an officer of the 92nd Highlanders who had served in Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercromby. In 1887 they celebrated their diamond wedding, and last June the 70th anniversary of their wedding brought together six children, 24 grandchildren, and 12 great-grand-children, and letters and telegrams of congratulation came from all parts of the world to the venerable couple. To
mark the celebration and to encourage thrift amongst his workpeople, Mr. Brinsmead inaugurated a provident fund, the members of which receive, in addition to interest on their savings, a bonus of from 50 to 100 percent, from a fund furnished by Mr. Brinsmead. The funeral, which takes place at Highgate Cemetery at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, will be preceded by a service at St. Mark’s Church, Albert-road, N.W., at 2 o’clock.
3C273
> they became John Brinsmead and Sons in 1870. The sons John and Edgar
> joined the company in 1861 serial numbers can be out as much as 10
> years with some of the older makes in {1}Pierce, Your piano was made in
> 1870 and could be as young as 1876 look at the awards inside the top lid
> see what the youngest is. For history you may wish to look at
>
> http://www.uk-piano.org/history/brinsmead.html
>
> Barrie,
>
Thank you for the information. There are no awards listed inside the top
lid, but I did remove the back screen and found the names J. Dick and L.
Jackman stamped into the wood. I found the web site you referenced above
yesterday and am happy to have found out a little more about it. Thanks
again.
Louis
3C273
"Barrie Heaton" <pi...@a440.co.uk> wrote in message
news:H8HS53Qf...@a440.co.uk...
> In message <tj9mrta...@corp.supernews.com>, 3C273
> <Nos...@nospam.com> writes
> >Hello,
> >Someone gave me a piano last week for the price of hauling it away and I
am
> >looking for any information you can provide. The piano is an "Upright
Iron
> >Grand"
>
> They were using 3/4 iron frames (plates )
>
>
> > by John Brinsmead & Sons and has a serial number(?) of 24401 stamped
> >in large numbers on the top of the case(?)
>
> That will be the ends of the case
>
>
> >below the little door that lifts
> >up on top.
>
> Top Door
Oh, and thanks for the terminology lesson:-)
