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Joined: May 2003
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Greetings,
I have been asked for some estimates of worth on square grands, and always seem to be 90% below what the owner thinks it's worth. I know of these things that people would give away, if they could, so I don't put a lot of value in them.
One party I have spoken with has an estimate of $ 20,000. I have never seen one sold for that, myself. Has anybody seen any square grands sold? What sort of price do they bring?
(out of touch with the 19th century)
Regards,
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I only service two of them and avoid any discussion about their value. I would probably come in 95% below what the owners think they are worth. Here is a good site to go to in order to see nicer restored examples and their selling prices. I can't comment on the validity of the "sold" price listing but some are fetching some remarkable amounts, antique value for the most part I would think... http://www.antiquepianoshop.com/products/square-grand/
Piano Technician
George Brown College /85
Niagara Region
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I always defer to an antique dealer, which I'm not. I figure, those instruments have far more antique and historical value than musical value.
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I like the "Antique Dealer" idea. Let someone else give them the bad news.
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I have been an antique dealer for almost 40 years. I bought a Chickering square grand in beautiful rosewood veneer with absolutely gorgeous carved legs similar to one on that site listed above. I bought it out of a house for $300 and moved it myself with my wife and two friends. After two years in my shop, I sold it for $300. I told them they had to move it themselves. I guess that gives you some idea of value, although the piano was not restored, of course, and did not really play.
My grandfather was a tuner-tech and could rebuild or repair anything: organs, pianos, including players, nickelodians, and so on. He told me once that square grands weren't worth working on. Poor design, difficult to get parts, and so on. He even made his own parts a lot of the time (he retired in the late 50's or early 60's before so many suppplies were available. In my travels, I have seen many square grands and smaller, but similar-styled spinets gutted and made into desks. I have hated to see this, but at least the beautiful cabinetry survives in a useful way.
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I have been an antique dealer for almost 40 years. I bought a Chickering square grand in beautiful rosewood veneer with absolutely gorgeous carved legs similar to one on that site listed above. I bought it out of a house for $300 and moved it myself with my wife and two friends. After two years in my shop, I sold it for $300. I told them they had to move it themselves. I guess that gives you some idea of value, although the piano was not restored, of course, and did not really play.
My grandfather was a tuner-tech and could rebuild or repair anything: organs, pianos, including players, nickelodians, and so on. He told me once that square grands weren't worth working on. Poor design, difficult to get parts, and so on. He even made his own parts a lot of the time (he retired in the late 50's or early 60's before so many suppplies were available. In my travels, I have seen many square grands and smaller, but similar-styled spinets gutted and made into desks. I have hated to see this, but at least the beautiful cabinetry survives in a useful way. It's funny to hear what you have to say... I had a Chickering square probably around 35 years ago that I couldn't give away. Finally an antique dealer took it for nothing and the last I had heard had refinished it and sold it as furniture. It was a very pretty piano but wouldn't stay in tune for more than a day. David, you would have loved it...  Actually, it probably would have made a nice coffin.
Last edited by Peyton; 10/27/12 04:14 PM.
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David, you would have loved it... Actually, it probably would have made a nice coffin. Ha! 'Glad you didn't call it a square "grand". Every time I see a square piano I can't get out of my mind how useful a road flare would be at that moment. There's nothing grand about a square.
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Unrestored Pleyels , Erards and Broadwoods (European) goes to 1500 U$ till 8000$ no more (If not artcased!) ... Restored ones goes +4000 (Depending if it is some artcase it can rise it till 20.000$ or more...)
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Why wouldn't some like these purely for their furniture aspect? Do the majority of people who buy these do so for this reason?
Last edited by pianoloverus; 10/27/12 07:51 PM.
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After looking at the pictures a thought came to me! other than a desk modification it might make a nice cabinet for a retrofit of a digital piano.. with built in speakers!.. This is of course related to the fact that square grands have no value/popularity as a playing instrument.. only as antique furniture..
Last edited by Bob Newbie; 10/28/12 09:44 AM.
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Unrestored Pleyels , Erards and Broadwoods (European) goes to 1500 U$ till 8000$ no more (If not artcased!) ... Restored ones goes +4000 (Depending if it is some artcase it can rise it till 20.000$ or more...) With a "restoration" that cannot be less than 10000 Euros, chase for the mistake.. I have seen an "excellent" square grand Broadwood, that would be evaluated correctly 10000 Euros and more probably due to excellent condition. Pianos from the really early ages are find for really low price in original condition, but if correctly restored the value can be really high. restoration of a Forte can cost 15000-30000 Euros, for instance, if someone want to pay for it ... (not using Delignit pinblock in it Lluis 
Last edited by Kamin; 10/28/12 06:57 AM.
Professional of the profession.
Foo Foo specialist
I wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!
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Caveat: I have yet to have the pleasure of working on one of these fine instruments...
IMO, as much as they're junk as instruments, it kind of pains me to see the work and materials that went into them go into the dumpster. I like how some are being repurposed as desks, etc. Especially those Brazilian rosewood veneers and solid legs.
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I agree! rather than a desk..I'd retrofit a digital(portable) and built in speakers.. provided the cabinet was a nice cabinet..
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I had a couple of squares here a while back. The large square with four legs I gave away to a lady that wanted a kitchen island for the home.
The other square is one of the long slim squares with seven legs, (7ft by 2ft) similar to a John Tallman square. This one is a Broadwood 1819. At the moment it is being made into an office desk.
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Hi Kamin, once I found a restored Pleyel for only 2000 euro, ofcourse, the restoration was really terrible. I know someone in paris who restores pianos (pianinos and squares) for less than 10.000 euro ,(Ofcourse we're talking about a major restoration the costs goes up 10.000k)
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The other square is one of the long slim squares with seven legs, (7ft by 2ft) similar to a John Tallman square. This one is a Broadwood 1819. At the moment it is being made into an office desk. Dan, was the Broadwood in very poor condition? Here in the UK there is a definite market for late 18c or early 19c square fortepianos. These are a very different thing from the later heavier American squares that seem to be so disparaged, and can be very delightful instruments. I am hoping to be able to acquire an early 19c Broadwood, or something similar such as a Clementi, myself. There are some beautiful early squares here.
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Hi David, I haven’t seen you around for a while; good to see you posting. The Broadwood came to me already gutted unfortunately and was being used as a work bench. Because of that damage I will have to sand away all of the original patina previous to refinishing. Even then I think there will still be scars left…. It is tiny two inch rosewood strips set as parquet with a mahogany border and a blonde strip inlay, possibly yew, blonde ash, or false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) which is commonly called black locust, indigenous to North Africa and the southern US. Along the bottom rim of the cabinet there is a strip of decorative brass. This one looks similar to the Broadwood at the link you provided. Broadwood 1815
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Hi David, This one looks similar to the Broadwood at the link you provided. Broadwood 1815 Does anyone notice anything missing in this picture??? 
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Does anyone notice anything missing in this picture??? There is an illusion of one rear leg missing, but the shadows seem to indicate that it's there. Did these things have a pedal lyre?
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