Antique Piano Value (Identification & Price Guides)

As you can guess, antique piano prices widely vary, depending on the model and brand you choose and its age, condition, and size. Since thousands of pianos have been manufactured during the past few centuries, you can’t find a comprehensive guide for all models.

However, you can roughly estimate a piano value by following a few general guidelines. The first thing to do is recognize the instrument type, check its condition and restoration level, and determine the price range. Be aware that it can go from several hundred to tens of thousands of bucks.

Antique Piano Value Guides

It is practically impossible to determine the piano value without seeing and checking it. Therefore, these prices can give you only a clue what to expect.

Remember that you always need to add at least 10% to 50% to the piano owner’s price if you decide to purchase it from a dealer. As expected, numerous things determine antique piano price, including:

Age

To make things clear, the term ANTIQUE is a bit different for pianos. So, vintage pianos are those created from 1945 to 1985, while experts consider only pianos made before the Great Depression antiques.

Finally, pianos from the 80s and the 90s are considered modern. So, you can buy a model from the late 1920s to 1930s and be sure that it is the right antique thing.

However, these old instruments need to be beautifully designed, handcrafted, and ornate. The most spectacular is probably those decorated in the 1800s.

Average antique piano prices
Age	Piano type	Condition
		Poor	Average	Factory-new to restored
1880 to 1900	Grand piano	$1,200 to $3,000	$3,500 to $8,000	$28,000 to $55,000
1900 to 1915	Grand piano	$1,000 to $2,500	$3,000 to $6,000	$22,000 to $44,000
1915 to 1935	Grand piano	$800 to $1,500	$2,500 to $4,500	$20,000 to $31,000
1840 to 1890	Square grand piano	$1,000 to $2,500	$3,500 to $6,500	$31,000 to $55,000
1865 to 1915	Victoria pump organ	$1,000 to $1,500	$2,500 to $4,500	$7,000 to $11,000
1840 to 1875	Melodeon	$800 to $1,500	$2,000 to $4,000	$7,000 to $9,500
1850 to 1880	Grand piano	$1,500 to $3,500	$4,000 to $10,000	$38,000 to $82,000
1850 to 1880	Upright piano	$400 to $1,200	$2,000 to $8,000	$18,000 to $27,000
1880 to 1900	Grand piano	$1,200 to $3,000	$3,500 to $8,000	$28,000 to $55,000
1880 to 1900	Upright piano	$300 to $1,100	$1,600 to $6,500	$17,000 to $24,000
1900 to 1915	Upright piano	$200 to $1,000	$1,200 to $4,500	$15,000 to $22,000
1915 to 1930	Upright piano	$100 to $800	$1,000 to $3,000	$13,000 to $20,000
1905 to 1930	Player piano	$500 to $1,000	$2,000 to $6,500	$22,000 to $28,000

Keep in mind that this instrument was invented in the early 18th century. In other words, the earliest antique piano you could find was about three centuries old.

Unfortunately, age alone won’t make this instrument highly valuable. Besides rare, historically important pianos built during WWII, the most pricey ones were those made in the 1920s and earlier.

The most appreciated antique pianos available on the current market were manufactured in the 19th century. Since they come in numerous styles and types, you can quickly pick out the one you like the best.

Piano depreciation

Depreciation is a helpful method for piano value estimation. It will be enough to find the same or comparable new piano and check its price.

Piano depreciation value
Age	% of new price
1 year	85%
2 years	82%
3 years	80%
4 to 5 years	74%
6 to 8 years	67%
9 to 10 years	62%
11 to 15 years	52%
16 to 20 years	43%
21 to 25 years	34%
26 to 30 years	27% (vertical)
30 to 70	30% (grand)
35 to 70	20% (vertical)

After determining your instrument’s age, you can effortlessly calculate the price for an average-quality antique piece in decent condition.

Style

Nowadays, people often purchase pianos as furniture pieces because of their beauty. Some old instruments are virtually worthless, while others can reach enormous sums of money.

In most cases, the price will depend on the piano style. You can find antique pieces in a few categories, depending on their size:

Square grand pianos – No one has produced this piano type in the last 125 years, so all available are antiques. Unfortunately, modern piano tuners have no clue how to restore them, so most are not in usable condition and are entirely worthless.

Grand pianos – These instruments are classic. You can find them in three sizes, baby grand (5 feet/1.5 m), parlor grand (7 feet/2.2 m), and concert grand (10 feet/3 m) pianos.

Antique piano prices Chart
Age	Piano type	Price
5 to 10 years	Steinway & sons	$60,000 to $90,000 (80% of new)
10 to 20 years	Steinway & sons	$45,000 to $70,000 (60 to 70 % of new)
20 to 30 years	Steinway & sons	$40,000 to $60,000 (50% of new)
40+ years	Steinway & sons	$1,000 to $15,000
5 to 10 years	Known European make	$10,000 to $50,000
20 to 40 years	Known European make	$1,000 to $20,000
40+ years	Known European make	Up to $20,000
10 to 20 years	Yamaha/Kawai/Samick	$2,000 to $20,000
20 to 30 years	Yamaha/Kawai/Samick	Up to $5,000
30+ years	Yamaha/Kawai/Samick	Up to $400
40+ years	No longer produced American piano	Up to $5,000

Upright piano – This model was invented in 1826 and became popular because of its practical size and affordable price.

However, you should be prepared that they are far cheaper than antique grand pianos. The only exceptions are historically significant instruments and those played by famous musicians.

Mirror piano – This instrument created during WWII features a few parts replaced with mirror paneling. Even though it can be an interesting piece, its value is only a few hundred dollars.

Upright piano prices
Age	Retail price
10 to 20 years	$4,000 to $10,000+
20 to 30 years	$3,000 to $8,000+
30 to 40 years	$1,000 to $2,000+
40+ years	$500 to $1,500+

A high-end upright piano’s price range is from $10,000 to $25,000, while you need to set aside about $3,000 to $6,000 for an average model.

On the other hand, a grand piano of the lowest grade will cost approximately $7,000 to $30,000. Antique grand piano models, such as Steinway, Yamaha, and Bosendorfer, typically reach $65,000 to an astonishing $195,000.

Condition

After three decades in use, pianos lose their musical integrity, and those older than forty years are worthless. In some cases, they can have negative value because of non-functional ones’ removal and disposal.

On the other hand, the professional restoration will increase its value. That is why a condition is crucial when choosing this instrument.

Mint – This piano was rebuilt and refinished, looking and playing as new.

Like new – Such an instrument looks beautiful without stains and scratches. Although you can notice slight signs of use, it is in excellent mechanical condition.

Excellent – There is no need to reconstruct this piano since it looks nice and comes without significant signs of wear, rust, or damage. Some tiny scratches in the wooden parts won’t affect its quality.

Very good – This piano comes without significant mechanical problems, but its look is not perfect. You can notice some stains, scratches, and minor damage on the surface.

Good – Be prepared that this instrument requires some reconditioning. It can also come with scratches, dents, and ugly stains.

Fair – Such a piano needs professional repair because of mechanical defects. It is full of scratches, chips, and dents, plus it sometimes has warped parts and chipped ivory. However, you can still use it for playing.

Be aware that Steinway & Sons grand pianos are the one exception to the rule, and these instruments retain residual value despite age and poor condition. The secret is in a unique design that allows rebuilding, restoring, and replacing components.

The company provides all necessary parts and experts who can high-quality restore every instrument they ever made. However, you should be aware that it is a costly and complicated job, making the residual value limited for repaired pianos.

Brand

You can find numerous piano manufacturers making these instruments during the 19th century. They are not of the same quality, so their prices nowadays will be aligned accordingly.

Piano manufacturers worldwide
Founding year	Company	City
1723	Broadwood	London
1777	Erard	Paris
1823	Chickering	Boston
1828	Bosendorfer	Vienna
1835	Hallet & Davis	Boston
1836	Marshall & Wendell	Albany
1839	Knabe	Baltimore
1841	Becker	Moscow
1842	Stieff Chas. M.	Baltimore
1851	Vose & Sons	Boston
1853	Bechstein	Berlin
1853	Bluthner	Leipzig
1854	Mason & Hamlin	Boston
1857	Kimball	Chicago
1859	Story & Clark	Burlington
1862	Baldwin	Cincinnati
1863	Henry F. Miller	Wakefield
1864	Petrof	Hradec Kralove
1864	Lyon & Healy	Chicago
1866	Sterling	Derby
1872	Starr	Richmond
1875	Chase A.B.	Norwalk
1875	French Jesse	Nashville
1880	Ivers & Pond	Boston
1883	Everett	Boston
1884	Bush & Gerts	Rockford
1885	Schimmel	Leipzig
1887	Yamaha	Japan
1888	Lester	Philadelphia
1900	Hobart M. Cable	La Porte
1901	Apollo	DeKalb
1901	Bush & Lane	Chicago
1903	Cable Nelson	Chicago
1904	Gulbransen	Chicago
1908	American	Rochester

Remember that pianos of famous brands, like Steinway, typically cost two to four more than other manufacturers’ models.

Serial number

You should never consider buying a piano without a serial number. It gives precise information on production year and manufacturer.

The stamp with a 5-digit number is typically hidden under the grand piano’s lid or the hood. It is easier with upright pianos since they always have the serial number on the back where the strings are.

19th-century piano manufacturers in New York
Founding year	Company
1789	Francis Bacon
1823	Brambach
1836	Lindeman
1840	Fischer J & C
1840	Hazelton Bros.
1842	Hardman
1851	Haines Bros.
1852	Weber & Co.
1853	Steinway
1854	Gabler
1856	Wurlitzer
1857	Steck George
1861	Behning
1962	Decker Bros.
1863	Mathushek
1864	Kranich & Bach
1869	Estey
1869	Krakauer
1872	Sohmer
1873	Wing & Son
1878	Wissner
1880	Cable
1881	Behr Bros.
1889	Ludwig
1889	Mehlin & Sons
1892	Becker Bros.
1894	Kohler & Campbell
1896	Waldorf
1903	Autopiano
1916	Ampico
1932	Aeolian

Once you find the number, compare it with a catalog or the Clinkscale database that includes pianos from 1700 to 1860. The next step is to find a manufacturer.

You will need the catalog again, but this information is not free of charge. It seems that Pierce Piano Atlas is the most affordable source. If you can’t find a serial number, your best shot is to ask a professional to evaluate the instrument.

Original price

As I have already mentioned, the value of pianos made in the last century typically decreases in the appropriate percentage over time. Therefore, determining the instrument’s original price is an excellent starting point for evaluating its current value.

Restoration levels

Interestingly, restoration won’t negatively affect antique piano value. On the contrary, professional restoring can significantly increase its price, depending on the instrument’s age, condition, and restoration degree.

Remember that minor restoration that improves piano appearance and playability is beneficial for lesser-quality antique pianos. Only top-notch brand pianos, such as Steinway, will cost more even after a complete restoration.

Be aware that it is a complicated and costly procedure, particularly if you have an antique square grand piano. The problem is that no manufacturers have made it for more than a century. So, it is challenging to find original parts and an expert capable of repairing such an instrument.

Keyboard range and color

You can be pretty sure that your piano is an antique if it has the lowest note higher than the lowest A on modern instruments. Plus, most old models have fewer than 85 keys.

Particular rarities are pieces with reversed colors. Pianos with light-colored (white) accidentals and dark (black) naturals were standard in keyboards produced in the 18th century.

Interior reinforcement

Antique pianos typically come with an all-wood construction. You can sometimes see metal bars over the soundboard but never a full cast-iron frame.

 

Summary

Antique pianos are at least a century old, but their value doesn’t depend only on their age. In fact, they can be virtually worthless in poor condition, while well-preserved branded pieces can reach astronomical prices. If you decide to buy a piano with an average grade, you should be prepared to pay at least $2,500 for restoration.