buying a piano on the internet

[paul bruesch]

I'm wondering if the appraiser was an RPT.

On 10/22/07, David and Jean Weiss <djweiss at ntelos.net> wrote:
>
>  A client of mine forwarded me this advertisement for a piano he was
> considering buying.  If you're in the mood to laugh read on.
> David Weiss
>
>
> Description of Piano from seller:
> ...the piano is a Beckwith Semi-Concert Grand Upright, manufactured in
> 1898. The appraiser rated it in very good condition.  I will just tell you
> some of the things that he noted.  The piano is an antique and will have
> additional antique value because  of the carving and the cost to restore.
> It was totally refinished about 20 years ago and has been maintained in a
> climate controlled home. The value of this piano is $3250.00 based on age,
> condition, size, grade and rarity of the instrument.  Beckwith pianos were
> made for Sears Roebuck.  Grands, Uprights and Players made by different
> manufacturers marketed by Sears, who claim to have sold as many as 15,000
> annually between 1883-1922.  Due to their towering height, these instruments
> usually had string lengths and musical capabilities equal and often superior
> to actual grand pianos, thus being labeled "Upright Grand" or "Cabinet
> Concert Grand" by their manufacturers.
>   Unique and distinctive features of construction will be found in the
> Beckwith Semi Concert Grand piano; the most important of those special
> features is the sounding board construction which includes the Beckwithsemi Concert Grand bent acoustic rim. This gives the
> Beckwith upright the tone of a grand piano and makes it especially well
> adapted for concert use.
>   "Cabinet Grand" is a term usually referring to certain large upright
> pianos over 50" tall. ( this piano is 57" tall, 67" wide, and 28" deep ).  A
> 52" upright provides as much total soundboard area as a 7' grand piano.  Its
> #1 bass string's length nearly matches that of a 6'3"grand.  In other words,
> you get grand piano performance quality in a vertical instrument.
>    The appraisal values are stated in U.S. dollars and are based on market
> values from several sources.  Based on comparisons of pianos of this age,
> condition and nature offered for sale in newspapers and the internet by
> private parties, music stores, auction houses and piano teachers.  These
> values are certified through research in directories of the Music Industry,
> such as, The Presto Piano Buyers Guide, The Pierce Musical Instrument Atlas,
> The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments and The Bluebook of
> Pianos, and the Piano Times Newspaper
>    Hope this isn't too much info!  The piano is very nice and in very good
> condition.  I will say that we haven't had it tuned for awhile....our son
> who played it the most has been away at college and then we decided not to
> tune it since we were going to sell it.  It is not badly out of tune,
> though.  It also has 2 or 3 soft keys, which could be adjusted by the tuner.
>
>
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