J. P. Hale Antique Square Grand Piano For Sale

FOR sale
J. P. Hale Antique Square Grand Pianoca. late 1800\'s
Full 88-key Keyboard
This is a late 1800\'s antique square grand piano. It reflects its age and will need major reconditioning to bring it back to mint condition. It does have ALL of its pieces and WILL play, although it is NOT IN TUNE, and is NOT even close to being in tune. It cannot be brought back in tune in its current condition.
It is very heavy, probably 700-800 pounds and will cost you a good bit of money to move. As far as I can tell, the wood is in good condition (please see pictures). The inlay behind the keyboard is absolutely beautiful, but is missing a few pieces.
This piano is just what it is, a late 1800\'s antique, so you can\'t expect it to be in pristine condition. It was kept indoors for all of its life as far as I know. I acquired this piano from an estate sale of some dear family friends that I have known personally for over 50 years and the piano resided at their house that whole time.
I am not sure if there are cracks in the soundboard. As far as I can tell, the cast iron is in good condition.
Here are some further notes on its maker, J. P. Hale, and this piano. Some of these notes are from a gentleman who restores these pianos to their mint condition.

This looks like a betterdesigned late 1870\'s, early 1880\'s square piano. Some designfeatures that I noticed:

It has 3 string treble unisons

It has agraffes from top tobottom (these are the brass string bearing pieces at the endsofthe speaking length of the strings).

It is 88 note, most were 85 ofthis era

The inlay on the nameboard ismother-of-pearl with some painting, some is missing.

The keys may not be ivory, itis hard to tell from the photos

It has rounded back corners withthe moldings going all the way around the cabinet,this is so you can set itout in the middle of the floor.

J.P. Hale was the first personto have the idea of a stencil piano. Of course he built some with his own name onthem.

These late ones tend to have a good stringing scale where thestrings don\'t get too short too fast as the scale goes up the keyboard.

The action and dampers are very typical square piano style from thisera.This can be restored to work well with great effort and care.

A bit of history on J. P. Hale

Joseph P. Hale is frequentlycalled the \'father of the commercial piano\'. J. P. Hale began his career inMassachusetts selling crockery and cookware.

Having amassed a small fortunefrom his endeavors, Hale moved to New York City in 1861 and became a financialbacker for the piano builder James Grovesteen.

The two formed the short-livedpiano company known as \'Grovesteen & Hale\'.

This partnership was dissolvedin 1863, and Hale continued in business on his own for several years.

Hale\'smajor contribution to the piano industry was much like that of Henry Ford,

as he would buy all parts for his pianos by sub-contracted workshop and merelyassemble them in his factory on a line basis.

He was hugely successful, andvery much disliked by his competition.

Although his manufacturing practice wasa shock to the industry, his methods allowed instruments to be afforded by thetypical middle class family.

His instruments were both of good quality and lowprices, and they were sold in vast quantity.

By 1869, Hale\'s firm was theseventh largest piano manufacturing company in the United States with grosssales of over $200,000 annually.

In 1877, Hale reestablished himself as \'JosephP. Hale & Company\', and continued to be a major force in the piano industryuntil his death in 1882.

BUYER WILL PAY ALL SHIPPING COSTS.

NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OR offerS

This item will ONLY SHIP TO THE CONTIGUOUS 48 UNITED STATES

Iwill be glad to assist you in locating a professionalpiano moving company.

Feel free to shoot me questions!