Hinze Chicago Piano

[heinynum6]

I have a Chicago Hinze Piano.  Serial Number 11447.  Any info would be greatly appreciated.  I am in the nothwest suburbs of Chicago Illinois.  Please tell me anything you know.  Thanks.   

[railman44]

Never heard of the brand.  Post a pic.

[fancypants]

Hinze Piano Co. , Chicago , Illinois began production in 1876.
now made by Kimball.

you can also go to : www.pianoexchange.c om/howold.htm for specific age request on your piano.
i only found ser. #'s going back to 1904, begining with 55000.

did you perhaps not post the 6-digit # , or is yours a 5 digit?

here's a 1916 hinze upright image.

[talesofthesevenseas]

The hard part about putting a value on pianos is what they retail for and what you can actually sell one on the open market, are usually two very different things. Regretably, Craigslist has dozens of them that people can't even give away every day. The problem is that in order to be sure your getting a decent one, a buyer really has to have a pro come by and check it out, and the cost of transporting one by a mover is several hundred bucks. Then tuning is about another hundred, once it gets to the house. So there are a lot of big costs involved with the purchase, in addition to the purchase price.

Also the reason why a piano should be checked before it is purchased is that there can be a lot of hidden problems in a piano. Its just like buying a used car. I once bought a beautiful old upright, that had pegs that had been worn down and it kept slipping out of tune. So the unscrupulous piano seller that I bought it from hammered them into the holes in the tuned position. It was in tune when I got it, but it could never again be tuned. He ended up closing up shop and running out of town with a truckload of pianos! In the end, I ended up donating the piano to charity. I now have a wonderful old player piano that is a lot of fun.

If you're trying to sell it, you might consider getting it checked out first, and then you can have that piece of paper that gives your piano a clean bill of health. That would be a big selling point that might help someone pick your piano over another. Another selling point is the piano's tone. Like all wooden instruments, they are as individual as the trees that they come from and they all have their own unique voice. Although again, if you are selling, someone buying a piano, lets say for a kid's first piano lessons, might feel that all pianos sound the same.

So if you're looking for an insurance value, or just want to know about it because you love it, we can try to locate similar pianos and get an approximate figure. But if you're trying to sell it, all I can do is wish you the best of luck in this economy!!

I

[ironlord1963]

    Reminds me of the one time I bought a piano for 20 bucks at a Auction, With just Dad and I and a small truck we moved it, never again on the piano thing.  And it still sits where it was placed years ago. on a unsecured porch.  Tales is so right about the hidden cost and conditions of piano's, with today's 2 lb keyboards very few really want the real thing, have to have something really special to get a good value from one.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ya know it is really unfortunate. Pianos and organs are such beautiful, personal pieces of history. But they are a bear to lug around. We bought our player in winter and we had to hire a mover that had a dolly with off-road tires to get it down our dirt/road and into the back door, the only way something so large could make it inside. I bought my player piano on Ebay for $5. (no joke) It was in great shape, just needed tuning, with both manual and electric player options, some rolls and the manual pedal bellows was still in great shape with no leaks. But to move it was $500 and to tune it we have to have a specialist tuner come in for another $100. I don't play well, I kinda suck, LOL. But I still enjoy it now and then. Unfortunately at the moment it is under a bunch of pirate stuff in the spare room I'm trying to clear out so I haven't played much!!

[cogar]

Ironlord, I once bought an old piano at auction for a $1.00 ..... and was really, really happy to get it for that price.

You wouldn't believe the number of all the different sizes of wood screws and hinges one can salvage out of a piano. And they are all the right "vintage" for repairing, reconditioning and refinishing old and antique furniture. 

[railman44]

During my fraternity days back in the bronze age, it was considered great sport to take sledge hammers to pianos.  Two pianos and two different fraternities would vie for the win.  Albeit most were probably junk at the time, it still seemed like an incredible waste back then and now.  All were uprights.  I'm sure names like Steinway, either in a Baby Grand or Grand, still are good investments and still appreciate as the years go by.

[KC]

What is so sad.....pianos were a sign of status and were really an extreme luxury item for families up until the early 1900's.

Now, with modern technology, pianos that play by themselves, electric pianos and organs so much cheaper.....these have become less valuable.

If you look on Craigs List....you can get pianos for dirt cheap...namely the uprights.  Baby grands and grands are still highly desirable.

We had 2 pianos up until last year.  We kept the 120 year old player (collector's piece) that was from my better half's family and gave away the upright that was from my side of the family.  Found a family that couldn't afford one (the little girl was taking lessons on a small elec keyboard - heard that they really desired a piano but couldn't afford it).  We interviewed them and gave it to them on the condition that they contact us if they ever want to get rid of it.  They keep up with us....their family has music nights every weekend now...dad plays guitar, daughter plays piano, son plays sax and mom plays flute.  Worth more than any money could....they are a family enjoying family time!

Have seen these sell for $500 up to $2,800.  Depending on condition and consumer demand.

[railman44]

I'm convinced most folks buy older baby grands and grands for looks only.  A piece of "furniture" that implies higher education and a quality of refinement.