I need help identifying my D. H. Baldwin piano

DJKustoms

Hello guys I have a D. H. Baldwin 5'3" Baby Grand Piano. I'm curious to know about the history because I can't really find that much information about it online. I bought it for $5,000 last year and I want to know more about it. I have found out that the D. H. brand is produced by Samick and isn't really a true Baldwin. Although on the side of the piano it says "Made in Japan". The serial number (50587) also comes up as made it the early 1900s on a Baldwin serial number site. On the inside, it says MP, although again it doesn't pull up much information. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

ambrozy

What's the point?

dore_m

As far as I know, Baldwin pianos were never made in Japan. Post some pictures and maybe we can learn something....

DJKustoms

ambrozy I just wanna know the history of my Piano.

DJKustoms

dore_m Sure, I'll post a picture tomorrow. I just looked and MP means it's a 125th anniversary edition made by Yamaha Japan, which I verified by finding the badge inside. Still though, don't know the year because although the anniversary editions are 1987, the seller told me it was a 1995.

dore_m

@DJKustoms This all sounds extremely fishy to me. Baldwins had been built in the USA until about 20 years ago, when they started to build them in China.

The only other foreign brand that is mentioned in the same breath as Baldwin is Bosendorfer. I think in the 20th century, Baldwin licensed some Bosendorfer designs and built Baldwin branded Bosendorfer clones.

Samick, which is Korean, does not build in Japan. Only Yamaha and Kawai, both in Hamamatsu (and Steinway's Boston line is built in the Kawai factory).

So its equally possible that the piano has been mislabeled after renovation (with wrong brand) or you have a Chinese knockoff. I've seen the knockoff Mason & Hamlin's in China that M&H is so pissed off about, so I'd believe it if it's totally not any of the major brands.

dore_m

I stand corrected:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vkzoILtyH8

EssBrace

dore_m The only other foreign brand that is mentioned in the same breath as Baldwin is Bosendorfer. I think in the 20th century, Baldwin licensed some Bosendorfer designs and built Baldwin branded Bosendorfer clones.

This is news to me. I've had an interest in Baldwin because my acoustic is an American made Baldwin Artist Series grand from 1998. Are you confusing Bosendorfer with Bechstein? Baldwin wholly owned Bechstein for over 20 years from the mid-60s to the mid-80s. And even in relation to that tie-up as far as I'm aware Baldwin did not really incorporate any Bechstein-isms into their pianos because Baldwin believed they already made the better piano.

dore_m

@EssBrace I was confusing Baldwin and Kimball.

Kimball was the USA made Bosendorfer. Sorry....

DJKustoms

dore_m What about the 125th anniversary edition label inside my piano? I did research and those pianos were built in 1987 by Yamaha Japan. My serial number is 50587 and I can't really find any info on it because the serial number isn't a genuine Baldwin SN. I can provide pictures of the piano if you want if that can help identify whether the case looks like its from Yamaha or the strings/inside etc.

dore_m

Watch the vid. I think he said the serials are consistent with Yamaha.

Sorry I can't help more.

RIP

DJKustoms What about the 125th anniversary edition label inside my piano?

I suggest you contact the fine folks at Cunningham Piano Company

http://www.cunninghampiano.com

Particularly Rich Galassini is always very helpful with this sort of stuff, see for example a related conversation

https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2652593/baldwin-r226-125-anniversary-edition.html

DJKustoms

dore_m

I did. One more thing though, should it say C152? Ive seen numerous Baldwin pianos my size say c152 including a 1995 125th anniversery MP edition that I looked up. I can't find C152 anywhere though. I know my piano is a 5'3", I had it measured before I purchased it.

EssBrace

Post us a picture of the frame. If it's 5'3" and made by Yamaha it might well just be a GC1 or C1 (they are 5'3"). Or just compare the frame of your piano with online pictures of a Yamaha GC1/C1.

dore_m

Basically I don't know. If I were you, I'd look up pictures of the harp/plate for used C152's of that era and see if they look the same. Somehow I doubt they are - because Yamaha has been the pioneer in vacuum casting their harps, and I'd think that Baldwins of that era are still wet sand cast. Anyway, the harp should look roughly the same if all are considered C152's.

DJKustoms

EssBrace Yes I looked up the GC1 and the legs look very similar, with the wheels and the way it's mounted on. I will provide some pictures tomorrow though, just so you guys can confirm too.

EssBrace

DJKustoms Yes I looked up the GC1 and the legs look very similar, with the wheels and the way it's mounted on. I will provide some pictures tomorrow though, just so you guys can confirm too.

Sorry, by frame, I mean the cast iron plate…the structure the strings are mounted on (usually painted gold). The casting details and position of the struts etc will tell us if it's a Yamaha frame.

DJKustoms

Hey, can you give me examples of what to take pictures of? I'm not exactly sure what you want to see. If you have a grand, could you upload pictures and then I can replicate those? Thank you.

EssBrace

This is the frame, or plate. You can compare yours with pictures of a Yamaha.