Provinence: Callard & Collard Square Grand circa 1825

I hope someone maybe able to help me.

I have a Collard & Collard square grand circa 1825 which used to belong to
Sir Thomas Beecham (the great musical conductor) - it is identical to the
one featured in the following link:

My great great Grandfather worked for Sir Thomas Beecham and when he retired
Beecham gave him the piano. It is rosewood in colour but needs some
restoration.

I would like to know the best way to establish provenance on this instrument
as there is no paper trail and the Collard & Collard records which tie up
serial numbers to pianos were apparently destroyed in a fire many years ago.

Rick...

Well, there you go - you can't. You need a paper trail. A letter of
presentation from Beecham would be good. Documentation from Collard &
Collard would be better. Even a signed statement from your great
Grandfater would be better than nothing at all. If the only choice is
"none of the above" then the story about the item turns into a case of
"undocumented family folklore" which seldom enhances value.

I do not have the space to display this instrument so am looking to put it
up for auction. Does anyone have an idea what the value of this instrument
may be?

Rick...

A earlier model - ca 1835 - sold on eBay for Ł510 in unrestored
condition. And that version was aesthically more interesting than this
one. Yours appears to be post 1835 (not 1825 as indicated) if it has a
sustain pedal. Your model would likely fall right in that price range.

I am unsure whether to auction it off as "in need of restoration" or pay for
it to be restored myself prior to auction.

Rick...

It depends. (It's always an "it depends.") It depends on how bad off it
is. Minor work on the action? Or missing keys, the legs have been
removed, and the thing is in pieces?

It also depends on how you plan to sell it. If you are going the eBay
route and the thing could be shipped anywhere, it would probably be a
waste to put much money into it, a buyer would be expecting potential
damage from the shipping process anyway. And since people can't inspect
the item "at hand" through an eBay auction to see how well off it is -
or isn't - work done on it for an eBay action probably won't increase
the sales value.

But if the instrument is going though an auction house, and being put up
in a large auction of antique musical instruments where it can be viewed
and played prior to bidding, having it in good working condition may
make a difference.

I have no knowledge of antiques to any help and pointers would be helpful.

- Clive

Rick...

This is a collectors piece which has *limited* practical use. It's
something for someone who has a lot of room and collects "big stuff",
not a piano a pianist of any sort would use on a day to day basis. It's
appeal and practical value is limited.

If I were you, I'd find a reputable piano technician in your area to
give you an assessment of what's wrong with it and the associated costs
for repairs. They can likely tell you what you can realize for it in the
market place, both in restored or unrestored condition. Don't expect to
retire on this sale. Keep in mind that the majority of period
instruments in general are worth very little. They just don't play well
by todays standards. Unless they are really, really rare or really,
really good they simply aren't worth much.

Provinence: Callard & Collard Square Grand circa 1825 - once owned by Sir Thomas Beecham