Rare pianos I have played:
You’re looking at a Cornett upright. Unable to locate any serial number. These were only made between 1890-1903, out of New York.
This is a 1908 Eilers Uprght Grand. One of the very few companies that originated here on the west coast. Eilers was perhaps the only piano build that came out of Oregon .. not too many of these guys around ... my references on them state they are almost nowhere to be found anywhere outside of the west coast. They were a short lived company, just about 3 decades at the beginning of the 1900's. In fact, the research I've found online, suggests the few instruments they made (whatever are remaining today) are almost certainly only found out west; virtually non-existent anywhere east of the Rockies. Pianos like the one shown here are given the designation "upright grands" because their unusual height incorporated an internal "harp" frame that closely resembled that of a standard baby grand.
Here is a rare find: a 1919 Franklin piano, out of New York. They were only built between 1900-1933.
A 1977 Whitney. A Kimball by a different name. A thoroughly dislikeable instrument.
This is a 1932 P.S. Wick Co. piano. Wick folded up for good about a year later, in early 1934. They were out of St. Paul and began production in 1890.
You’re looking at a rare Mansfield piano. Very few of these guys around. They were only built over a ~20 year spell, this one is from around ~ 1920. Cannot pin down the year for certain. (Notice the matching piece of pumpkin pie sitting on the instrument.)
1900 Schumann. From Chicago, this was one of the company's earliest instruments. Not to be confused with "Schumann And Sons" which was a very short lived firm out of New York.
1901 Packard. Packard Piano Co. instruments were made in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The last (true original) Packard was built in 1938.
Ritmüller Piano. Not to be confused with "Ritmüler", which was an old historic builder from the early 1800's out of Germany. What is being shown here is just a Pearl River piano built in China, probably less than 20 years old.
Ludwig & Co. Piano. Another big New York piano builder; production ended in 1941.