In actuality, these old instruments may be worth very little at all, depending on their brand and condition. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at pianos are pianos that're at least a hundred years old, and, like antique books, they're not worth a lot of money just because of their age. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Prices seen in antiques shops and the internet are in the range of $200 to $600 for a service for eight.Īddress your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. China sets of dinnerware are not in as much demand as a generation ago. Noritake china continues today to be produced and available in china departments in upscale stores. They have used several different marks over the years. Their vision was to create fine china that would appeal to the Western market. New York importers, the Morimura brothers, Ichizaemon and Toyo, established their company in 1904. Also, included with the mark are the words 'Savannah - 2031 - Japan.' The set was purchased in the 1950s and is in mint condition.Ĭan you give me a market value of my dinnerware?Ī: Noritake china was made in Noritake, a small area near Nagoya, Japan. The dishes are white and decorated with platinum bands and sprigs of pink, blue, green and white flowers on the borders. I have enclosed a drawing of the mark seen on each dish. It is a service for eight and includes a gravy boat, sugar bowl, cream pitcher and two serving bowls. Q: I have a Noritake set of porcelain dinnerware. If it is in perfect condition, its value could be in the thousands. You circa 1920s inverted grand with bench could be worth anywhere from $200 to $400. Contact a professional tuner for an evaluation. Unless your piano had been tuned and in mint condition, it may need work or even restoration. Based on your photo, your piano may be Mehlin's model 3, Sheraton made with mahogany and Circassian walnut. His were the first and only inverted grands made.

The sound was extraordinary, powerful and had an openness that was sought after by pianists. One of the original Mehlin and Sons catalogs says his inverted grand embodies a similar plate, scales and sounding board as horizontal grands. Mehlin devised a procedure of placing the fundamentals of a grand piano inverted in an upright cabinet. They introduced their inverted grand models in the 1920s.

In 1889, he and his sons established their piano company in New York. It sounds very good, but probably needs tuning and some restoration.Īnything you can tell me will be appreciated.Ī: Paul G. It has three pedals and a matching bench. According to family history, it is called an inverted grand and has been in the family since the 1920s. Q: This is a photo of my upright piano that was made by Paul G.

Mehlin upright piano