BETWEEN BUYER AND SELLER"
INSTRUMENT
SELLING & MARKETING YOUR INSTRUMENT
Our experience has proven that the single most important factor in selling your antique instrument is marketing. If you have an instrument for sale, there is likely someone in the market to buy it.
The key is finding that match between buyer and seller.
Most people do not have the knowledge or experience they need to accurately price or effectively market their heirloom instrument. There is a great deal of criteria one has to consider when determining the value of an antique instrument, so a professional evaluation is usually necessary. Once an accurate value has been defined, one must then find a suitable outlet where their instrument can be marketed and sold. The overall process can be a bit overwhelming!
A good way to get a general sense of what your antique instrument is worth in its current condition is by comparing it to the instruments shown in the value carousel below:
– Please scroll left or right to find your instrument’s proper category –
UPRIGHT PIANO
Circa 1850 – 1880
TODAY’S VALUE
$500 – $1,500 in poor condition
$2,500 – $8,500 in average to good condition
$20,000 – $35,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
UPRIGHT PIANO
Circa 1880 – 1900
TODAY’S VALUE
$400 – $1,100 in poor condition
$2,000 – $8,000 in average to good condition
$18,000 – $33,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
UPRIGHT PIANO
Circa 1900 – 1915
TODAY’S VALUE
$200 – $1,000 in poor condition
$1,200 – $4,500 in average to good condition
$15,000 – $22,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
UPRIGHT PIANO
Circa 1915 – 1930
TODAY’S VALUE
$200 – $800 in poor condition
$1,500 – $6,500 in average to good condition
$14,000 – $25,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
PLAYER PIANO
Circa 1905 – 1930
TODAY’S VALUE
$500 – $1,500 in poor condition
$2,500 – $8,500 in average to good condition
$25,000 – $35,000+ totally restored to factory-new condition
GRAND PIANO
Circa 1850 – 1880
TODAY’S VALUE
$2,500 – $4,500 in poor condition
$8,500 – $15,500 in average to good original condition
$45,000 – $85,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
GRAND PIANO
Circa 1880 – 1900
TODAY’S VALUE
$1,500 – $3,500 in poor condition
$6,500 – $12,000 in average to good original condition
$40,000 – $75,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
GRAND PIANO
Circa 1900 – 1915
TODAY’S VALUE
$1,000 – $2,500 in poor condition
$6,500 – $12,000 in average to good original condition
$30,000 – $65,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
GRAND PIANO
Circa 1915 – 1935
TODAY’S VALUE
$500 – $1,500 in poor condition
$3,500 – $6,500 in average to good original condition
$25,000 – $45,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
SQUARE GRAND PIANO
Circa 1840 – 1890
TODAY’S VALUE
$1,000 – $2,500 in poor condition
$4,500 – $8,500 in average to good original condition
$315,000 – $65,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
VICTORIA PUMP ORGAN
Circa 1865 – 1915
TODAY’S VALUE
$1,000 – $1,500 in poor condition
$2,500 – $4,500 in average to good original condition
$7,000 – $11,000 totally restored to factory-new condition
MELODEON
Circa 1840 – 1875
TODAY’S VALUE
$800 – $1,500 in poor condition
$2,000 – $4,000 in average to good original condition
$7,000 – $9,500 totally restored to factory-new condition
SPINET & CONSOLE PIANOS
Circa 1930 – 1985
TODAY’S VALUE
Small spinet & console pianos built after 1930 fall into the “Mid-Century Modern” category. We do not deal with spinet & console style pianos. We suggest you contact your local piano technican for information about them.
WHERE CAN I LIST MY ANTIQUE PIANO INSTRUMENT FOR SALE?
People often attempt to sell their instruments through traditional online methods like eBay or Craig’s List. Unfortunately, most buyers on these sites are looking to find “something for nothing”, and most sellers end up selling their instruments for next to nothing out of frustration.
If you are looking for a way to sell your instrument quickly and cheaply, eBay or Craig’s List are probably your best options. If your desire is to become an educated seller and get the most value you can from your instrument, then you might consider alternative methods such as consignment placement in upscale antique stores or boutiques, consignment with a piano dealer, or advertising your instrument on more specialized antiques-related websites that cater to an upscale buyer.
CAN I LIST MY ANTIQUE INSTRUMENT FOR SALE ON THIS WEBSITE?
We do not offer classified advertising space on this website for third party instruments. We only list third party instruments on our website for sale when they have been sent to us to be restored for the purpose of being sold for top dollar.
SHOULD I RESTORE MY ANTIQUE INSTRUMENT BEFORE I ATTEMPT TO SELL IT?
Nearly all of our clients send their instruments to us to be restored so that they can be kept in the family and passed down to future generations.
However, we do have a handful of clients who choose to send their pianos and organs to us to be restored so that they can be sold for top dollar through our website. Since a fully restored instrument commands a premium sale price, sellers can generally make a much greater profit after investing in having an instrument restored.
WILL IT COST MORE TO RESTORE MY INSTRUMENT THAN IT WILL BE WORTH?
How many home renovation or “house-flipping” shows have you seen on TV lately? People all over the country are renovating old homes and buildings so that they can be sold for profit in the end. Much like the real estate industry, restoring a vintage instrument adds real value to the piece, ultimately making the instrument worth more than the cost of restoration in most cases.
HOW DOES THIS SERVICE WORK?
- A customer sends their piano for restoration and pays their initial deposit up front. (We generally charge a 50% deposit up front for restoration services, with the balance being due on completion of the restoration project).
- We market the piano on our website for sale until a buyer is found. Our experience has shown that buyers generally prefer to have input into the restoration process (such as color/finish preferences, touch/sound customization, etc.) Once a buyer is found, the instrument undergoes the restoration process according to the buyer’s preference
- When the instrument is sold, the restoration balance is generally deducted from the sale proceeds. If a buyer is not found, the customer is responsible for the restoration balance. Although finding a buyer is likely, we cannot guarantee that a buyer will be found for every instrument.
– RESTORING YOUR INSTRUMENT SO THAT IT CAN BE SOLD FOR TOP DOLLAR –
If you have an instrument you wish to have restored so that it can be marketed and sold for top dollar through our website, please fill out the submission field below and select
“I am interested in restoring my instrument for resale”.
Note: For information about having your antique instrument restored, please visit the RESTORATION SERVICES page.
– SELLING YOUR INSTRUMENT “AS IS” –
We do not list third party instruments on our website unless they have been sent to our shop for restoration. If you have an antique instrument you would like to sell “AS IS” without restoration, please submit the requested information below and select
“I am only interested in selling my instrument ‘as is’ without any restoration work”.
We will be glad to review your submission and photos in order to determine if it is something we wish to acquire for our own inventory.
