need help finding someone to handle the sale of an antique piano

[mopinko]

soooo. i bought this gorgeous piano. i dont play, yet, but it is a gorgeous object.
1 reason i’m not making progress is that i have tiny hands, and a kink in my rt arm. (also cuz i’m not rly trying. subject for a diff group.)
these days u can get scaled down keyboards. it was my plan to replace/reconfigure the keys. there arent many ppl who do it, or have even heard of it. but i found my way to a couple of the big guys, and they refuse to touch it cuz they think it’s a crime against history. the thing was built in the 1780’s for the french court. ok, fine. i cant argue, it belongs in a museum. so i decided i’d sell it and buy something else.

well, i am having no luck figuring out how to sell it. i started at sotheby’s. they said- we agree it’s a valuable piano, but we dont deal w pianos, at all. suggested i need to find someone who specializes in them. asked a couple of the folks i’d been dealing w. nada.
i’ve found a few on the web, but no nibbles. tried a couple of the bigger chi auction houses, likewise, no joy.

any ideas? i mean, if i make a good faith effort to get it where it shd b, and cant, maybe they’ll alter it for me. or maybe i can find someone else.
it’s in pretty good shape, tho it needs what old pianos need. it’ll b some coin if i keep it. fine.

i rly do feel like an ass to keep it to myself. but if i’m stuck, i’m stuck.

Link to tweet

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[Sibelius Fan]

1. I very much doubt that piano was built in the 1780s. It's an upright piano,

the design for which dates back to 1826.

[mopinko]

5. nope. it was.

there were a small number of makers in france b4 the design spread.
no provenance, per se, but the seller did research it.
maker went out of business after the revolution.

[UpInArms]

2. I found this

https://antiquepianoshop.com/sell-your-instrument/

[mopinko]

4. i registered there but couldnt post for some reason.

only i the sell forum. no button to start a thread.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. If you figure out what to do with large, valuable heavy items

the world will beat a path to your door.

[mopinko]

6. well, there's that but

i mean, moving pianos isnt rocket science.

[AmBlue]

7. What part of the country are you in?

Alamo Music in Texas might be able to guide you to some good resources. Just depends where you are.

[mopinko]

8. i'm in chgo, but thx.

i’ll check them out anyway.

[AmBlue]

9. They ship all over

And are very knowledgeable, so definitely give them a call.