"Can anyone tell me about my Willard Piano?

For a similar question posted to a piano-specialist message board, check this link:

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/viewtopic.php?t=625

You may be able to find more help there. I suspect you may ultimately need to have your piano appraised by a local expert--check the local music stores & piano tuners.

6/8 edit: fixed typo

I am not a piano expert, but being a curious kid, I've looked inside many.

one thing I learned is that the old sound boards almost always have a casting date on them. This should get you in the ball park as to your piano's age.

As to value, I have no idea. The piano in my childhood home was given to us free (it was about 100 years old) by a widow who didn't want the piano to set quietly and not play as it had been played by her husband and children for so many years. Its silence made her sad.

My wife's parents bought an antique upright for $50.

I have just been given a 100-year old upright free (am getting it this month).

I have no knowledge of collectibility of certain brands (other than Steinway and Kwai, of course).

I hope this helps. If not, I hope it was entertaining.

General Tsao

I once lived in a place that had an old Steinway Grand Piano in the living room. Neither I nor my 3 roomates knew how to play but we still kept the thing tuned up in case we ever had visitors who could play. It was impossible to get rid of the piano as some construction had been done on the house years earler making the living room door smaller thus locking the piano in the living room forever.

ROR Nick! What a funny story! That's like something you'd only see on TV--like The Andy Griffith Show's character, Goober, who assembled a car inside the sheriff's office.



General Tsao

Willard Piano
Annie - I'm new to this forum, so hopefully I'm replying the right way.

I, too, have a Willard Piano - a big, heavy upright, made of rosewood, ivory keys - a beautiful tone. As I recall the research we did on it some time ago suggested it was built around 1900. I've not been able to find any other info about the company, but I'll admit I haven't tried very hard either. Let me know if you get any more leads. Cheers--Jim in San Diego

Well, I have a Willard also. My father bought it in the 70's and gave it to my Great-grandmother to play on while she was still alive. No one took care of it during her later years so when my dad regained possession of it, we got it refurnished and restrung. The people who did thought the original makers of hte company was dead, but found out that there's still a small sector operating in Chicago; Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co. They said that the closest they could date my piano to was about 1905 give or take a few years. Given that the Willard name had a run for 20 years, the youngest your piano would be now is at the very least 70.

You can always take your serial number and ask the Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co. to find out for you.

Hi there
Did you ever find anything out about your Willard Piano? My family has owned a Willard since the 70's -still have it...I think it's from 1908-but I am trying to find out more. Can you help?
Thanks
Kelli
[email protected]

hey all, I know that it has been YEARS... I hope to find some info out about my piano and coming up with nothing!! My Willard co. piano has been in my family since 1904 I have the sales reciept also, showing my family bought the piano for 300.oo in bank notes.. please contact me if anyone has any information how to find out more about the piano.
Jeramy
washington dc
[email protected]

Edit [Moderator]: Link removed

I don't know much about your piano but I have one too now my sn is 35811 and it looks like it was made in the very early 1900's probably between 1900 and 1909 but I don't know. I've been asking around and can't find much information about them either.