Beckwith Serial Numbers

[Jim]

Dear Sy again:

I have a 1906 Sears catalog in which they state that they are able to
sell the Bechwith piano at a lower price because they buy them in
quantities of 1000 at a time.  They may have later owned the Co. because
they were the largest buyers of Bechwith.  They again in the 60's were
buying pianos with the name Bechwith and selling them thru the catalog and
thru local stores.  I think they quit that in the early 70's.

Their descriptions in the 1906 catalog make them out to be the finest
pianos made at any price.  That's superb hyperbole to say the least.
The pianos were made in Chicago.  Their pump organs were made in St. Louis
and in another factory in St. Paul.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Fri, 10 Jan 1997, Sy Zabrocki wrote:

> >From Sy Zabrocki RPT
>
> Does anyone know the history of Beckwith? The Pierce Atlas states the Beckwith was made by Sear & Roebuck. Were they actually made by Sears or just sold by Sears? Beckwith serial numbers seldom jive with the numbers in the atlas. I have 89 in my databas
e and usually guess when determining the age.
>
> Sy
>