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I dabble in the sale of historic pianos, and usually have some interesting ones from the Victorian Era on hand.  These comprise an interesting assortment of antique pianos that I have come across while adding to my early pianoforte collection. I particularly like to deal in historic pianos with unique features from distinguished names such as Steinway, Broadwood and Chickering. "Piano Cincinnati" Pianos For Sale:  JUST ARRIVED! Two amazing and unique Early Victorian Piano Fortes:         1855 Chickering Cocked-hat grand piano - A very rare pre-civil war grand piano. In the American Empire-style with a beautiful Rosewood finish. Jonas Chickering's version of the old English bentside spinet in the form of a pianoforte. A very innovative and unique design but also very functional. Fits very well in a parlor-setting. It looks like this one should be very playable with a little work, just give me a little time and I can have it ready for historic performance. The perfect piano for mid-19th century music. Now available for $9,900.00.                                    1840s John Broadwood and Sons (London) six octave cabinet piano forte, in highly-figured mahogany with ornamental ormolu inlay. The nameboard and key surround pieces are of rosewood. Parchment nameboard cartouche reads "John Broadwood and Sons / Makers to Her Majesty and the Royal Family / Great Pulteney Street / Golden Square / London ".  Case mahogany with inlaid brass stringing.  The serial number is 8008 which probably makes it from around 1844. Signed "Ormond" with the serial number on the back of the nameboard and on an inset in the first key.  This makes me curious if this piano is from a special designer, as it is much more elaborately decorated than the similar piano shown at the following website (I think the 1820 date on this site is about 20 years off) : http://www.pianopavilion.com/broadwood_cabinet.htm The case is in fair shape and the artistic embellishments are beautiful to behold. Someone apparently had started preparing it for rebuilding or making into a secretary. The soundboard, bridges and strings have been removed. The action is partially intact with 16 hammers being gone and 18 shanks broken. The keytops have been replaced with plastic (which have yellowed to appear almost like the real thing) and five of the keyfronts are missing. These are very rare in the USA, and most have been converted to furniture, so this one would be worth restoring for historic display. It would be perfect for a historic house or museum as it takes up only about a third of the floor space as a square grand. However, it would take a very motivated person and a tremendous amount of work to restore the piano to playability, thus the low price. Available now at $2600.
1910 Wurlitzer Lingard Upright Piano in beautiful highly-figured burl walnut, nice classic lines, a solid old upright. Plays well and sounds good. I have recently done some regulation and tuning on this piano so it is now ready to go.  Now Available for $800.
“A Man who can bargain is worth his price.”*       *A quote from George Warleggan in Poldark 2-based on the novels of  Winston Graham.
For more information contact frankrenfrow@aol.com The prices on this page are subject to frequent change, so keep checking and you might be able to lock in a low price. If you see a piano for sale as is, and would like to invest in additional repairs consequent to purchase, that can be arranged also. If you are interested in early pianos from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, please check out my pianoforte gallery page. From time to time I have probably had one of the largest selections of early English piano fortes available for sale in North America.  Also available for parts etc., Late Classical, Neoclassical, American Empire, Biedermeier, Historic Square Piano case available for desk conversion, etc.   1840 E. N. Scherr square grand piano (Case only) - The rosewood and mahogany case on this very rare late classical period piano would be quite striking with restoration of the existing finish or refinished. The massive reverse taper Doric columnar legs are quite striking. Missing parts would make it difficult to restore to playing condition but could work well as a display stand in a historic house or museum. $200 as is, lacking original keyboard and action). I do have a nice keyboard from another square I could throw in at an additional cost.     Other pianos that have passed through the Piano Cincinnati shop :        1891 Steinway & Sons upright. A very nice Steinway, features an ebonized case with elegantly engraved front panels and ivory and ebony keys.  1850 G&H Barmore square grand piano A beautiful historic pianoforte from the Antebellum period with a very fine rosewood finish and exquisite border detailing.                1904 Chickering Upright. This Chickering model must be the upright equivalent of the Chickering Quarter Grand (see below). It is unusually small for the period and has very finely carved neoclassical Ionic columnar supports. The ivory and ebony keytops on this piano are exceptionally nice.                 1904 Steinway & Sons cabinet grand upright in highly figured mahogany with Victorian-style cabriole scroll legs and flourishes - I just got this one in and it is quite a piano. The grain of the wood is incredibly vivid, similar in aspect to flame mahogany.                                        1923 Baldwin Hamilton 5'3" grand piano.                           D'Almaine and Co. English Cottage upright piano with birdcage style action, a mid-nineteenth century Victorian Era gem (1870 or older). Beautiful rosewood case and exquisite ivory and ebony keys with unusual circular insets.           1867 Mathushek "Colibri" square grand piano. Frederick Mathushek was one of the finest American piano makers of the mid-nineteenth century, and his square grands were noted for their superior tone and design. 1908 Baldwin cabinet grand upright piano. One of the finest uprights made, especially good for jazz or blues. 1886 Steinway Model P cabinet grand upright piano. Steinway's top of the line upright of the period.      1908 Chickering Quarter Grand This is a very interesting baby grand with a full 88 notes but proportioned to fit well in a small or medium-sized room. It is just over five foot in length but about six inches narrower in width than other grand pianos. The aged mahogany finish is just right for the period.