Unique, Rare and Exhibition Pianos for Sale. A range of unique, custom made, art cased pianos from the height of European piano making. Besbrode Pianos is a specialist art case piano dealer, trader and wholesaler based in Leeds, Yorkshire, North, England, UK

Our range of unique, art cased pianos from the height of European piano making

Our range of unique, art cased pianos from the height of European piano making. Around the turn of the twentieth century a period of prosperity inspired an interest in culture and the arts. As the only source of music in the home, the domestic importance of the piano was at its peak. At this time the wealthy commissioned bespoke, art cased pianos as visible status symbols to stand as centrepieces in a room. Technical innovation of the instrument had reached its maturity prompting a flourish in custom made, luxurious cases. The breathtaking craftsmanship illustrated by these pianos reflect a climactic time in piano making and stand as monuments to the position of the piano in social history. By 1905, gramophone and disc recordings were available allowing the passive enjoyment of music.

Art cased pianos are pianos with beautifully designed cabinets. Sometimes designed by famous designers or architects. Often these pianos are representative of specific art periods such as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts, Neoclassical, Empire style, Rococo, Louis XV, Regency style, Sheraton style, Adams style, Queen Anne, Chippendale... These art case pianos often represent the highest craftsmanship, whether it be exquisite, marquetry inlay, ornate, hand carved detail, intricate brass ormolu, or beautiful hand-painted decoration. Some of these art cased pianos are unique, with others only a limited number were made.

All pianos on our website are on display in our Leeds showroom, ready to play

Unique, Rare and Exhibition Grand Pianos

Lipp

Restored, Arts and Crafts, Lipp Grand Piano For Sale with a Mahogany Case Inlaid with Geometric Designs. Case features ornate brass hinges

£45,000

Ibach

A 1916, German Arts and Crafts, Ibach grand piano with a mahogany case and panels featuring stylised foliage. Designed by Dutch architect, Pierre Joseph Hubert Cuypers

£29,500

Pleyel

Restored, 1893, Pleyel grand piano hand-painted in Berainesque style, with a fairies, satyrs, nudes, monkeys, mythical creatures, birds, flowers and crested composers names. Signed by poster artist, G. Meunier.

£175,000

Ibach Model 2

Empire style, 1901, Ibach model 2 grand piano for sale with a mahogany case and gate legs. Entire cabinet decorated with ormolu mounts depicting scenes of greek gods, goddesses and wreaths

£POA

Soren Jensen

A 1918, Soren Jensen model D butterfly grand piano with a polished, maple case. Piano sits on three square, tapered legs with bronze female caryatids adorning the top. Cabinet features hand-painted ovals by Danish artist Gudmund Hentze

£POA

Schiedmayer

Chinese Chippendale style, 1899, Schiedmayer grand piano for sale with a flame mahogany case and Malborough legs with applied fret carvings. Cabinet features Chinese scenes in embossed Japanning with gilt ornament.

£POA

Steinway Model B

Rococo Style, 1904, Steinway Model B grand piano for sale with an ornately carved, case with gilt accents and scroll foot, cabriole legs. Entire cabinet features exquisite hand-painted scenes in fete galante style

£100,000

King Edward VII Bluthner

Unique, 1899, Bluthner grand piano with a rosewood case. Cabinet decorated with Art Nouveau inlay and Empire style ormolu mounts. It was showcased at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Piano bought by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in the Coronation year of 1902 to be situated in the ballroom of Malborough House

£100,000

Ibach Model 2

Restored, 1907 Ibach Model 2 grand piano with a cherry case in a checkerboard design. Piano has square, gate legs with four contrasting black spindles. Designed by Emanuel von Seidl. Piano one of two designed for and offered to Richard Strauss

£POA

Steinway Model O

Bespoke 1903, Steinway Model O grand piano for sale with a polished, rosewood case and spade legs. Piano features a custom-made music desk featuring heart cut-outs

£POA

Unique, Rare and Exhibition Upright Pianos

Gebruder Knake

Renaissance style, Gebruder Knake upright piano for sale with an ornately carved, oak case. Entire cabinet carved with arabesque style, flowers and foliage in high relief.

£POA

Francke

Rococo style, Francke upright piano for sale with a mahogany case. Entire cabinet features ornate carvings in high relief.

£20,000

Georg Fortner

Georg Fortner upright piano for sale with a mahogany case ornately carved in high relief. The candlesticks are in an organic foliar design. The piano cheek features a carved grotesque head. Carvings created by the famous wood sculpter, Julius Bechler, wood artist for King Ludwig II

£POA

Pfaffe

German Late Renaissance style, 1896, Pfaffe upright piano for sale with a walnut case and twelve barley twist legs. Entire cabinet covered with ornate carvings of anthemions, shells, acanthus, strapwork, foliage and flowers in high relief. Piano has a mock roll top piano fall.

£POA

Gerhard Adams

Restored, 1926, Gerhard Adams upright piano with a Modernist almost Brutalist style, oak case

£12,500

Steinway Vertegrand

Rebuilt, 1912, Steinway Vertegrand upright piano for sale with a quartered walnut case. Cabinet features carvings of rolling waves, strapwork and beading highlighted with gold. Piano commissioned for the RMS Olympic Liner, sister to the Titanic

£POA

Ibach

English Gothic style, 1895, Ibach upright piano with a carved, oak case and ornate brass candlesticks and handles. Cabinet features traditional folk art motif carvings and panels inlaid with folk elements. Piano comes with a matching, duet piano stool

£10,000

German

German upright piano with a Neoclassical style walnut case and cup and cover legs. Cabinet features ornately carved pilasters in high reief and copper sconces in a sea monster design.

£15,000

Steinway Model V

Reconditioned, 2002, Steinway Model V upright piano with a polished, black case with brass fittings. Piano frame signed by Lang Lang

£35,000

Weber

A 1912, Weber upright piano for sale with a flame mahogany case. Piano has fluted Doric style piano legs with an urn shaped pedestal. Entire cabinet inlaid with a stylised, Neoclassical design featuring geometric forms in a variety of woods.

£12,000

Steinway Vertegrand

Arts and Crafts style, 1905, Steinway Vertegrand upright piano for sale with a figured, mahogany case and large sculptural legs. Cabinet features a wide music desk in a three arch design with cut-out inverted hearts backed with red felt.

£10,000

Steinway Vertegrand

An 1897, Arts and Crafts style, Bechstein upright piano with a rosewood case, fretwork panels and ornate brass hinges in a stylised floral design. Unique design by Walter Cave, executed by C. Bechstein and exhibited by Maple & Co.

£50,000

Broadwood Manxman

Arts and Crafts, 1904, Broadwood 'Manxman' piano with an oak case. Cabinet resembles a chest on a stand and is reminiscent of an old strong box from the Elizabethan period. Cabinet entirely encloses the instrument. Designed by M. H. Baillie Scott. It is estimated only 40 examples of this piano were ever made.

£POA

Bechstein

Arts and Crafts style, 1899, Bechstein upright piano with a walnut case. Cabinet features sizeable, brass hinges. The large sculptural legs taper to candlesticks. Design by Walter Cave.

£4500

Ascherburg

Restored, 1890, Ascherburg upright piano for sale with a rosewood case and turned, faceted legs. Cabinet features panels inlaid with a Neoclassical design in a variety of woods.

£21,000

Book Your Appointment

If you are planning a visit to our premises, please call Steven Leeming, Head of Sales, to book your Meet & View appointment.
We operate an appointment diary to stagger customer visits to allow space to try out pianos in peace.
Steven will be available show you around our premises and answer all of your questions.

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The pianos on this website are on display in our Leeds showroom, ready to play. If you are interested in trying any of our pianos, click here for directions how to find us. If you require buying advice, we recommend making an appointment before coming down to the showroom. This ensures we can offer you the best customer care available.