The Auction Page
Please remember that, as with 'Pianos for Sale', I have not usually seen these instruments, and any comments I make may be based entirely on information supplied by the auctioneers, or what we can see from the pictures.
Early Keyboard Instruments at Piano Auctions Ltd, 12 December
After a gap when there have been no 'Early' keyboard instruments at Piano Auctions specialist sales, it's good to report that there are eight 'items of interest' in the sale on December 12th.
More details and pictures will be posted as they become available - specifically from December 7th, when the instruments will be displayed in the Auction Room in Watford.
Lot 32 - Morley harpsichord 8' + 4', Estimate £600 - £800.
Click on image for more pictures.
Lot 42 - Robert Goble & Son 1978 Two-manual 8' +8' + 4' , Estimate £1,000 - £1,5o0.
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A rather splendid Broadwood Grand, 1808. Estimate £4,000 - £6,000
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Lot 59 - Something a bit different - any Sugar Plum Fairies watching? A celeste by the inventor if these charming instuments, Auguste Mustel. Would also suit inhabitants of a famous aquarium. Estimate £3,000 - £5,00o.
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Lot 66 - Yes, there is a square piano - a fine late Broadwood, keyboard to top G - estimate £300 - £500.
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Lot 104 An 'Alan Savage' spinet, 1977. Could this have been from a kit? £400 - £600.
Lot 112 - A very interesting chamber organ by 'Hendrik K ten Bruggencate Oxford' (copy) £3,000 - £5,000.
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Lot 113 Late 19th-century reed organ 'H Christophe et Etienne' Estimate £300 - £500.
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All images by, and by courtesy of, Piano Auctions Ltd www.pianoauctions.co.uk
Two Early Pianos at Golding Young & Mawer 12th October
Not much time for these two, so just the pictures and a quick note.
The first is an early Clementi
Estimate £20o - £300 Sold for £100
Then we have a similar piano from the same firm, this one inscribed Longman Clementi & Co.
Estimate also £200 - £300 Also sold for £100
Images by and by courtesy of Golding Young & Mawer, North Hykeham, Lincoln
Beck 1778 at Cotswold Auction Company Cirencester, September 13
This attractive piano by Frederick Beck does need some work, but it looks like a good proposition for restoration.
The beautiful inlaid name-panel has the stepped ogival ends characteristic of the earliest English pianos.
Another early characterisic is the omission of the lowest sharp, rarely needeed in the music of the time.
Three handstops for divided damper-lift and buff.
'Needs tuning' as we experts say, but all of the bits seem to be there.
It comes with an interesting, and possibly contemporary, tuning hammer.
The trestle stand has squat casters, a strong indication that it is original.
Against an estimate of £300 - £500, it sold for £1,600 hammer - plus premium of course - a bargain in my opinion.
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All images by, and by courtesy of, Cotswold Auction Company, Cirencester. https://www.cotswoldauction.co.uk/
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