Anyone have an idea?

I was just blessed with my very first, very own piano. It's been a life long dream. Oddly enough I advertised on Kijiji and someone replied. I couldn't ever afford one or even bring one home on my own. This was delivered with love and kid gloves, and the price was to promise to love and cherish her.

I am now the proud owner of a Gerhard-Heintzman full sized upright with the serial number of 10080. Is there a catalogue I can look up serial numbers? I know this piano is very old, but I'd love to know when exactly it began it's life.

Where do I look? Any ideas?

Thanks ~B~

Broccoli, welcome to the forum I hope you will like it here.

This is just the beginning, you know? The search into the 'roots' of your new 'child'. (well, OK not a child but like a child you want to know its roots) -

I found a nice blog talking about the beginnings - and from there (I think) you can take it:

click here please


Let me know of your progress please?

Hi, sorry the reply took so long. This article seems to be the only one that gives any serial numbers. It gives them for Heintzman pianos. My concern is that I have a Gerhard-Heintzman. Would the numbers not be different then? According to the numbers on the website, which oddly enough is the sae information on the official Heintzman site, (I went looking there as well,) would put my piano in the mid 1890's. The problem with that is inside my piano the patent date is Sept 27th 1900. If this is correct I'm finding myself wondering if there would be a different list. The idea of having a piano from before the turn of the century is very sexy, but I'm not about to jump into bed with the idea until I know it's age for certain. (Amusingly enough the registered name is the Boudoir Grand Scale. It was registered July 18th 1900.) You can see my confusion. I've looked all over, but these seem to be the only dates available. I don't know what to believe.

Additional note. I had gotten a great tip from someone else that my tuner would have a book with dates in it. He didn't.

Oh, indeed. That's very strange. I will have to research this some more...

Hey, thanx. I'm stumped too, but I'll keep looking as well. If I find anything out I'll let you know. Make it a race, whoever finds the answer first, wins!! LOL. Good luck to both of us. ~B~

Splendid idea! I am always in for 'races'

And, "may the best man win"

Well, I think of it this way, being driven to search is a great quality, as long as we don't drive ourselves crazy in the process. LOL. As long as one of us gets the answer, I'll be a graceful loser if need be.

Well, what I managed to find out is that during some time Theordore Heintzman purchased the rights of Gerhard Heintzman and continued producing. Now that would have solved the question IF(!) this acquisition took place before the 1920's, but... it didn't (Gerhard's rights were acquired in 1927)

So we're back at square one

Hi Broccoli,
have you had any luck tracking down the age of your piano? We've just received a Gerhard Heintzman as well. It is the same patent date as yours with a serial number of 9457. We had a piano tech come to our house to assess its maintenance needs and he said that based on that serial number he guessed that it would have been made between 1900-1905. I haven't been able to verify that though and so I am still looking for info online.

I was researching Heintzmans recently and came across this on a website: (pianotech.ca)

To confuse things further, there was a second completely independent piano company called Gerhard Heintzman that manufactured pianos in Toronto up until 1926. This company was founded by Gerhard Heintzman who was the nephew of Theodore Heintzman.

Gerhard Heintzman produced a smaller number of reasonably good quality instruments but they were not of the same high quality as Heintzman & Company. Heintzman & Company took over and operated theirproduction for several years after Gerhard died in 1926.

The brands that were actually produced and sold by Heintzman at one time or another were Heintzman & Company, Gerhard Heintzman and Nordheimer. Brands that were sold with the "From Heintzman & Company" decal were Gerhard, Weber, Stevenson

I have gotten that exact information for a while, and on so many websites. I'm thinking of calling the Toronto headquarters oner or later. Their phone numbers are all online as well thank goodness, not that it would prevent me if it didn't.

I got my main information, the exact as yours, from the Heintzman company's official website. Every other website I've been on has the exact info, and pretty much word for word too. Unless there is supposed to be a shroud of mystery in the Gerhard Heintzmans, I can't see why there is so little information online. If I get anyone on the phone I'll have to tell them they need to make their website a little more informative.

I'll definately be leaving a message on here when I get to the bottom of things. Of course, I remember the day before the Canada Day weekend. I'll probably have to wait until the following week to get in touch with anyone.

I'm sure Copper will be interested to see if I can get the info as well. LOL. He did say let the best man win. I might just get this win!! LOL

Ohww, the plot thickens

Yes, you bet! (no pun intended ) I am interested in finding out, Broccoli. I am a good loser and for finding out these mysterious origins I will take my defeat courageously.

But, seriously, we all seem to have the same information taken from different sources who take their information from one and the same source.

Very good idea to phone them. By now, though not owning a Gerhard Heintzmans, I would phone them myself if it weren't for the fact I live so far away.

If they really do have a shroud of mystery surrounding the Gerhard Heintzman line, then I'll drive there. It's only about 2.5 hours from me. LOL. Hopefully it won't have to come to that. I have unlimited long distance though, so I'll spend an hour on there if it means getting an answer. Hopefully they don't have to refer to their website because they'll be very disappointed.

OK, I was going to let my imagination free here and write a 'scene' as it shows up before my eyes with us driving up there (a la Pink Panther) but I will restrain myself

I think we have to get hold of some 'senior' (in age) employees there. They would probably know, no?

LMAO Pink Panther. The Avengers. Get Smart. OOH!! I know- MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I'll be persistent as usual. If they dont' give me answers I'll smooth talk my way up, (I'm pretty persuasive.) . If that doesn't work I'll bug them until they tell me just to get rid of me. I'll have to check online for their numbers, and if I call off hours they should have a recording with their hours of business.

They might be off for the holidays. If their the head office they have the priveledge. That, or everyone with any kind of knowledge could be out of office. I'm not sure if the janitors or secretaries have any idea.

Hopefully I'll get some answers soon. I'll keep you posted.

~B~

This is the email address for the Heintzman Company. I've emails them, and will try again, and see if I can find their phone numbers.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


Hopefully you'll get somewhere with them. Good Luck!

Hehe So, you had that same visualization. Well, Pink Panther (or Mission Impossible) is the way to go before turning into 007's

Yeah, you're great (with persisting, just like what I'm known for). I recognize a kindred soul when I see one! (Feel pretty left behind living this far away though, this is a mission I would so much like to be an active part in)...

Yes, no janitors though elderly employees should be traceable (somehow?).

Broccoli wrote:

This is the email address for the Heintzman Company. I've emails them, and will try again, and see if I can find their phone numbers.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


Hopefully you'll get somewhere with them. Good Luck!

Well it doesn't make it easier that their factory is located in China

Read this:

"Meanwhile, another great-grandson of the company's founder, William D. Heintzman, had become president of the Sherlock-Manning Piano Co " http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm? PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001587

Now we "only" ( ) have to find out the latest whereabouts of the great-grandson (and trace his children) in order to obtain an address who might possibly give reliable information.

DUH!! They're located in Beijing, or something. Too far to call, as far as I can tell. I have yet to find any phone numbers. They must have some sort of distrubitor here. I'll keep trying.

OMG!!! i HAVE THE DATE TO MY PIANO!!!!!
http://www.mbi-communications.com/Piano_Numbers.htm

it has all the serial numbers. Mine is to 1903, as is Ardbeg's. I'm so stunned!!

If anyone has a need for a date of Canadian piano dates, this is the site!!!!

I WIN COPPER!!!! I'm just glad I found the date. 1903 this is too wonderful.

TTYL
~B~

Arghhhhhhhh


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Great work, Broccoli!!! I am both happy for you and disappointed in myself. A 1903 indeed is g-r-e-a-t. A 'long journey' with a happy end