A cute little Kemble player has popped up on Trademe, New Zealand's version of Ebay. It's a small, compact, rather deco/modern looking piece, with rounded corners and no case ornamentation. The seller has apparently contacted Kemble with the serial number and been given a date of 1938/9. My question - is this an accurate date? I find it hard to believe anyone was manufacturing players this late in the game. Can Adam, Julian, or one of our other UK experts tell us anything about Kemble players? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Instruments/Keyboards-piano/Pianos/auction-148610166.htm?p=1

cute? I'm gladd I'm allowed to have an own opinion about that....

Indeed, it is all quite possible. I have a 1938 Music Trades Directory and there's a long list of companies still notionally in the player trade in 1938 in the UK. It was reproduced in the PPG bulletin not long ago. Whilst the player piano did go out of major production by the early 30s there were some companies who made a limited amount of new instruments throughout the 30s and also the 40s. In the US everything creashed in 1929 really but in the UK things did drift on a little. I have certainly seen instruments that were without any doubt built in the 30s and even 40s. There was a Triumph Autopiano on UK eBay the other week with a very similar case to this Kemble. Player actions were built and installed by "APPA" through the 40s and I've seen a few of these surface from time to time. They sometimes turn up in "Farrand" player pianos. Again, there was one of these on UK eBay the other day. They have quite angular square plain cases, usually oak, and the word "Farrand" is in italic lettering. regards Adam

Adam's right, there was a residual production of players in the UK until the later 1930s, and I've seen an original Triumph like this, a tiny piano by player standards. There was good business through the 1930s in 'streamlining' older pianos by taking off mouldings and rounding the corners: a cut-down player was on eBay recently, but underneath it was a 1920s instrument. APPA (Automatic Player Piano Actions) was run by Harry Palmer, who had been factory superintendent at Aeolian's Hayes factory when it shut in 1931, and his younger borother. APPA was operating well into the 1970s, and quite probably would have made a new player surprisingly late in the day if asked to do so. Julian

A rather stunning Hupfeld 73-note player with black and gold case! http://cgi.ebay.de/Klavier-von-Phonola-Hupfeld_W0QQitemZ320240232190 A Hupfeld Animatic Phonoliszt, Ronisch piano in burr walnut....sadly actionless.... starting at 1 Euro! http://cgi.ebay.de/Hupfeld-Roenisch_W0QQitemZ110242919726 French "Pleyela" music rolls http://cgi.ebay.fr/20-ROULEAUX-PIANO-MECANIQUE-PLEYELA-INSTRUMENT-ROULEAU_W0QQitemZ380016403121 Another one.... http://cgi.ebay.fr/Un-rouleau-pour-orgue-de-barbarie-LE-PLEYELA-N-969_W0QQitemZ150237848660 Welte-Mignon T-100 roll http://cgi.ebay.fr/musique-orgue-de-barbarie-papier-perfore-chanson_W0QQitemZ160230802806 Rollmonica: http://cgi.ebay.es/RARA-Y-ANTIGUA-ROLMONICA-armonica-con-3-rollos-1928_W0QQitemZ230241058422 Pianola / organ bench http://cgi.ebay.it/sgabello-per-pianola-liberty-1920-circa_W0QQitemZ330228704813

Something else quite fine here : a 1910 Virtuola! http://cgi.ebay.com/MELODIA-REPRODUCING-65-NOTE-PLAYER-PIANO-ART-CASE_W0QQitemZ150235430596QQihZ005

What beautiful casework - I thougt the black and gold Hupfeld was nice - but this is even better :) I must confess I prefer the look of the English style of single spoolbox door to the large double type on most American players - this one is somewhere inbetween, and looks great. Neil

A rare-ish 65-88 push-up pianola! http://cgi.ebay.com/PIANOLA-65-88-NOTE-PUSH-UP-PIANO-PLAYER-VORSETZER-RARE_W0QQitemZ140230443580

Now that is really nice!

a Model "K" 65-note Pianola push-up http://cgi.ebay.fr/Pianola-pour-piano-instrument-ancien-annee-1910_W0QQitemZ190224486816 Original french Pianola publicity brochure http://cgi.ebay.fr/PIANOLA-piano-fascicule-Aeolian-company-collection_W0QQitemZ310053262732

A 73-note Hupfeld Phonola push-up http://cgi.ebay.de/antike-klavier-vorsetzer-walzenautomatik-Phonola_W0QQitemZ150253352339 Italian "F.I.R.S.T" 65-note piano rolls http://cgi.ebay.it/RULLO-SONORO-PIANOLA-CHOPIN-WAGNER-PUCCINI-BEETHOVEN_W0QQitemZ310053598949 Selection of European piano rolls incl works by Field, R Strauss (Tod und Verklärung), Boito and Catalani http://cgi.ebay.it/antichi-rulli-sonori-traforati-per-pianoforte-AUTOPIANO_W0QQitemZ270235241685 Compatible for Hupfeld Animatic rolls http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PIANOLA-ROLLS-2-BOXED_W0QQitemZ230253793127 Kuhl & Klatt reproducing player in Biese upright piano http://cgi.befr.ebay.be/Pianola_W0QQitemZ190225214366 Spanish piano rolls incl Test Roll (title "Escala" in the photos) mainly all Diana brand http://cgi.ebay.es/TRES-ROLLOS-PARA-PIANOLA-EN-SUS-CAJAS_W0QQitemZ290234576247

late 20s John Broadwood player piano http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/John-Broadwood-piano_W0QQitemZ190227388263 Welte Mignon roll catalogues http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WELTE-MIGNON-BUCHVERZEICHNIS-FUR-MUSIKROLLEN-KLAVIR_W0QQitemZ220242686557

That's a Higel player in the Broadwood - a combination that turns up every now and again in the UK. I recognise the little metal label telling you not to lubricate the wind motor! Nice to see the original reciept - looks like £167 minus a deposit (or discount?) down to £143 or so. Puts it about medium range price wise I would guess. Neil

A Gotha Steck model 5 - many enthusiast's favourite upright! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Steck-88-65-Note-Player-Piano-Pianola_W0QQitemZ360061933841 This one has been fiddled with - a strange conversion from 88n to 65-88 (so it claims, although it looks of a date to have an original dual-scale installation), and has some damage. The model 5 is huge, and a much better piano than most upright players. As I found when I restrung mine, its bass strings are exactly the same length as a Steinway model O grand! Well worth considering. Julian

Hi Julian I presume this is the same model as your lovely walnut veneered Steck - one of the nicest sounding pianos I have ever heard. There are loads of nice players on UK ebay at the moment - many going unsold or for a pittance. Neil