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We have a 1901 Weber 5' 'baby' Grand, fully restored and playable. We have no intention of selling it, but I need to find out how much it is worth. I'm guessing it is worth less than we paid for it (after you include the restoration cost), but I would like to know for certain.
At the time it was made, Weber was considered roughly equal in quality to Steinway, but the company sold its name after going bankrupt during the great Depression. Pianos made with the Weber name after that were inferior to the original Webers. Or so I have been told by people who claim to know.
I have surfed a bit, looking for values online, but my Google fu is weak. Hatrack, can you help me?
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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From prices on similar quality baby grand pianos and Weber grand pianos from a similar time period, and assuming ivory keys and an excellent restoration, I would guess around $15thousand.
Posts: 8501 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Really? Wow. That is much higher than I expected, but, then again, I am reasonably certain the keys are NOT Ivory. I believe the Ivory had already been looted from it before the restorer found it. And we wouldn't have wanted to replace the keys with real ivory, for reasons including (but not limited to) price.
Did you look that up online, or do you have industry experience?
I do think the restoration was excellent, but I really don't know for certain. They even made templates too restore the original manufacturers emblem on the harp and other details. It has some interestingg Victorian woodwork on the legs (though it isn't terribly ornate, it is unusual).
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Just looking around online. I probably couldn't retrace most of my keywords and choices to refind the sites visited but the VintagePianoShop can probably give you an estimate rather than a guess. I'd suspect the lack of ivory keys would knock down the price considerably.
Posts: 8501 | Registered: Jul 2001
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And I'd guess that to be lowballing the price even without ivory keys. Under $5thousand is what you would pay for fake wood baby grands using plywood and particle board.
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I've never had a piano appriased before, but I would imagine that you should be able to have it done. I'm guessing you need to know how much it's worth for insurance reasons, so having a professional appraisal might be good idea (so you have documentation).
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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It's worth as much as someone is willing to pay, which usually isn't very much. But since you're probably doing it for insurance, you pretty much have to get it professionally appraised.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Thanks, Farmgirl! They don't have a value for for a 1901, but I suppose we could spring for an appraisal.
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