Dear Mr Gao
It was good to meet you in Shanghai last week.
Dear Mr Zhou
As discussed in our meeting, you are interested in unrestored but high-quality brand pianos. Attached is an Excel spreadsheet of the type of pianos I could get for you and the price to you in RMB. This price includes shipping costs to Shanghai port, but excludes import duty and taxes.
How it might work:
- I will find pianos for sale privately and in auctions around the UK
- If I find pianos which pianos meet your specifications (brand, size, age) in auctions, I will let you know by e-mail a week in advance of the auction and what the price would be to you
- You reply and let me know if you are interested
- I will view the pianos you are interested in and will play the pianos myself to check their quality
- I will also ensure that a piano technician has checked that there are no cracks to the soundboard, to the tuning block or metal frame.
- If I think they are worth buying I will let you know
- If you want to go ahead, I would then need a deposit of 10% before I bid on them for you
- Sometimes pianos sell for less than the auction guide price. If this is the case, I will pass that saving on to you and you may pay less than the price I originally quoted. If the piano sells for more than the price I quoted to you, then I won’t buy it (and I will return your deposit)
- I’ll let you know as soon as possible which (if any) pianos I have successfully bought for you, and then you can arrange payment and I can arrange shipping
I will not sell you any piano that I would not be happy to buy myself. I am just starting my business and I want to build a reputation for honesty and quality. Therefore, I will write you an honest report of their condition internally and externally, which you can trust.
We could start with just one piano at the next auction (in December). That way, we could build a relationship. Then, if you are happy, we could scale up in 2018.
The black 1924 Bechstein A
This is the piano that is on the USB stick I gave you. The work that has been carried out is:
This piano has its original casework and soundboard
It has been fully renovated in 2016, including:
- Capstan adjustment
- Graphite liquid applied in jacks
- Levers and shanks aligned
- Full re-stringing using original strings imported from Germany
- Tuning pins, bass / treble strings and felts replaced
- Wrest plank, bridges and soundboard have also been reconditioned
- The key tops have been replaced with white ivorelle
- Tuned to concert pitch
I can offer this piano to you for 140,000 RMB. I attach some more photos. The piano is in storage now, so if you want more photos of the piano I would need to go to the piano warehouse and take them. This might take a few days to do.
If you are interested in the black Bechstein, then we can discuss the possibility of you placing a deposit and I will ship it to Shanghai. I am confident that the piano and the restoration is very high quality. But if you decide you don’t want to buy it, or we cannot agree on a price, you can store it for me in Shanghai. There are other companies I met last week who are also interested in it. I’m sure it will not be difficult to sell once people see if for themselves.
I hope that we can work together and build a mutually beneficial relationship over the forthcoming months and years.
Dear Ms (Topwinner)
As discussed in our meeting, you are interested in unrestored but high-quality brand pianos, upright and grand (triangle). Attached is an Excel spreadsheet of the type of pianos I could get for you and the price to you in RMB. This price includes shipping costs to Shanghai port, but excludes import duty and taxes.
The brands you are particularly interested in are:
You also mentioned about getting original parts. I am not a piano technician, but I will enquire about this for you.
Dear Mr (Yunan – clear business card)
I understand that you are interested in historic pianos. You would be interested in pianos made after 1917, but that are good to play and that do not need renovation. You are not concerned about which brand. You are also interested in square pianos (though these will be earlier than 1917).
I don’t have a distributor in China. I can ship the pianos to Shanghai port. You would then need to work with an importer to organise the import duty and VAT and any paperwork for the Chinese authorities.
Do you have any preference about upright or grand (triangle) pianos?
Dear Mr (Yunan – business card in Chinese but sparkly – I scanned his VR code)
I understand you are interested in pianos that are good to play. You may be able to re-polish the pianos, but you are not able to renovate them inside.
Therefore, pianos that are manufactured after the 1970s would be good for you. You are particularly interested in Shimmel pianos.
With best wishes from London
Peter
Dr Peter Washer
Managing Director
European Master Pianos