1915 sn-4000 1919 sn-9500 1923 sn-15500 1927 sn-20300. 1914 sn-3000 1918 sn-8000 1922 sn-14000 1926 sn-19200. The letters ‘sn’ mean serial number. The following list of numbers represents the date of manufacture followed by the piano serial numbers.Even today, pianos with ivory keys are in high demand by the discriminating pianist for its many advantageous properties when compared to plastics. But how does one tell if you have the ‘ol ebony and ivory, or just imitation plastic? And what are ivory keys really worth in today’s market? Well, let’s put forth some answers and dispel some myths regarding this often misconstrued topic.WONDERING HOW TO CLEAN YOUR IVORY KEYS? JUMP OVER HERE AFTER YOU’RE FINISHED READING: cleaning-piano-keys/First, let’s discuss the advantages of each material.Ivory was used on just about every piano made previous to about 1930 (the date is not exact by any means). Are the keys of my piano made out of ivory? If the answer is yes, then nine times out of ten the next question regards the value of either the key set or the piano in general. Serial Number444138 This piano is part of their inventory that is still.This is a question that I and many other piano technicians get asked on a constant basis.With the Ivory ban of the ’80’s, plastic would forever remain king as key covers.Today, on higher end pianos, resins are also used as an alternative to plastics–their major advantage being that they are even more resistant to cracking, chipping or yellowing than their counterparts. After the recovery of the economy, materials were short due to the onset of World War II, and the few pianos that were produced during this time followed the same mantra of being an affordable investment. Plastic was also far cheaper than ivory, and seeing as how the great stock market crash of 1929 launched the United States into the Great Depression, the surviving piano makers were looking for every possible way to make the piano more affordable.Plastic maintains a stronghold as the material of choice of piano keys to the present day. Plastics were cheaper, easier to work with, and less prone to the damage caused by extensive abuse and wide temperature changes that easily damaged ivory. Ivory absorbs sweat, which provides for a better feel of the instrument in general.However, ivory keys are more susceptible to chipping or cracking, especially at the ends, than their plastic or resin counterparts.Plastic keys were introduced with the advent of better plastic technology that came around 1929.
A bit of INDIRECT sunlight, at least for the majority of each day will keep your keys sparkling white and brand-new looking. And just in case you were curious–by the time you find a piano tech willing to put in the time and effort to track down a complete set of keys and replace the ones on your piano, you’re probably looking to spend around $1,000.And finally: How does one properly care for ivory keys to prevent yellowing, cracking, warping, and dirt accumulation? Jump over here: cleaning-piano-keys/Also, ivory keys yellow when not exposed to light for long periods of time. As a general rule of thumb, you can still potentially get from $100 to around $500 for a complete set of keys, depending on their condition, from somebody who is either looking to replace their existing ivory or plastic key tops with something new. Barring the occasional artist that will buy piano ivories for a carving project, perhaps, ivory key tops are primaily only useful for replacing missing or broken key tops on other pianos with ivory keys. Now I am looking into a good immitation set of plasic or whatever is best. I waterfalled the worst section but don’t care for that look.or feel. Unfortunately about half of the tops are chipped. There is an organization that is very aggressive about illegal ivory sales.My 1907 Hamilton Chicago Upright/ Cabinet Grand has what I was told was top qualtiy Ivory. Old Ivory keytops from 80 years ago is no longer killing elephants and the few new sets of keytops are all made from Ivory that is not aquired through poaching or killing of elephants. Personally, I’m more apt to do all I can to preserve as much as the original keyset as possible–especially on an instrument as old as your Bradbury. Have you ever run into this? If so, is there a optimal thickness for the new tops and tails? I would expect that if it is a problem I could order a thinner back rail felt to increase the travel but the piano was built right the first time so I don’t want to screw it up.Good question…when it comes to repairing/replacing a keyset, a lot of judgement comes into play. I was told by one tuner that some replacement sets are thick enough to make vertical travel of the key less than it should be. My question is about thickness. Several vendors specialize in dealing with replacement ivories cultivated from donor pianos, and will do their best to match a replacement ivory to your original. The old ivory can be removed using nothing more than a household clothes iron. Chips are more tricky to reconcile, and usually call for the replacement of the ivory. Cracks can usually be filled by using an ivory compound that blends them back into the keytop. Bradbury Piano Free To WriteIf you have any more questions, or would like more detailed procedures, please feel free to write or call.This is a very good question, but unfortunately one that comes with a lot of “grey area” in the answer. Also, be cautious not to excessively wet the wood sides of the keys beneath the ivory–doing so will usually result in sticking when the keys are re-installed. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly before replacing the key onto the piano. After brushing carefully, using a rag dipped in whole milk will help seal the key. The only way to ensure perfect matching would be to replace the entire keyset–a nearly impossible proposition if you want to remain with ivory.Yellowing can be improved by a thorough cleaning with a whitening toothpaste. Donor keytops will usually run $5-10 per replacement, but keep in mind that any donor top will not match perfectly. Felts, hammers, strings, and yes, even ivories, will wear out and crack/break over the life of the piano. Pianos are machines with thousands of moving parts–parts that wear out, dry out and break over the course of time–with or without proper maintenance. This faction of collectors is a rare breed within the realm of the piano trade. These people will pay top dollar for a certain type of piano, as long as it has been relatively untouched during its lifespan. Firstly, there are collectors who are obsessive with keeping antiques in completely original condition, as I’m sure you are familiar with. However, if it was no good as a piano, then no. It is possible to replace a broken/damaged key with a replacement ivory, however, it is nearly impossible to come up with an exact match to the rest of the keyset, and will likely cause an eyesore if done improperly.So, is your parents’ piano worth any less? If the instrument was still usable with the keys it had on it before, I would say yes. In that event, I will replace the entire set of keys with replacement resin keytops. To me, a piano is of no use if the keys are in such poor condition they cannot be used properly. Quickbooks desktop install for macDo you have pictures/serial numbers that you can provide me to get a better idea of what we’re dealing with? I’ll do my best to give you a better idea, once I know the full details.
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