Insurance shopping.

[jimmy-h]

I’m going with Clarion. I tried to find info on all the companies out there and on other forums for various instruments and there are good opinions of most of the insurers. I suspect it would not be a disaster to go with any of the specialty music instrument insurers.

Clarion moved to the top because of not needing proof of forced entry of a vehicle. I have NO intention of leaving my harp unattended but I know firsthand it’s not impossible to gain entry without signs of force.

[Anirishman]

Wanted to post that I did find the serial number on the back of the little ornately decorated door (don’t know what else to call it) where the top of the neck meets the column and where there is access to the pedal rods. There is also a signature, in pencil, underneath the three digit number. Was it a common practice for the builder to place their signature on the harp along with the serial number? Now to hopefully find out the date it was made.

[Stephanie]

I have Merz-Huber (http://www.merzhuber.com/Musical+Instrument+Insurance/) I like them. You have to be a member of ASTA (American String Teachers Association).

[jimmy-h]

I’m not familiar with that organization (ASTA) but a quick check on their website shows you don’t have to be a teacher to join. Thanks for adding to the topic. I’m hoping this will help the next person doing insurance shopping the way so many topics on this forum have helped me.

I’m very glad to have everyone’s expert opinions and input!

[Tacye]

I would expect the Erard 345 to have been made in 1800 (or very close). Hopefully the register will have enough of a description to confirm it is an Erard.

[daniele-miri]

I everybody,
I’m writing from Italy, I have two Sebastian Erard Harps serial 705 and 708, I would like to know the date, plus where I can find some documents or register to know who was the first owner or any kind of information!!
Please answer

[Tacye]

Hi Daniele, are they London or Paris made harps?

If they are London harps the Royal College of Music Library has the sales ledger. No 702 (London) was made in 1802 so yours would be single action harps and probably made the same year.

Some Paris registers are here http://www.sebastienerard.org/en/?m=registres but I don’t see your harps – I would expect them to be considerably later and double action.

[daniele-miri]

It’s London, Marlborough Street!
Reading the paris ledgers I saw that from 690 to 741 are double action harps, but obviously beeing this harp made in london it has different registers.
Is there any documents on the web of the london ledgers?

[Tacye]

They aren’t on the web – you need to ask the RCM.

[daniele-miri]

Thanks! is there any contact or e-mail address you can give me? Also what do you think about the year, now that I’ve told you it’s made in London?
I mean, do you find many of 1802 in circulation?
thanks

[daniele-miri]

Please, coul somebody help me on my question?
Thanks!!

[e-nb]

http://www.rcm.ac.uk/contact/

[daniele-miri]

I wrote an email to RCM but unfortunately they said thay dont have nothing about Erard Harps!! where could I find somethig as ledgers or documents of the london shop?
thanks

[Tacye]

You need to contact the RCM museum (or I believe their library) not their general number. They are a large enough organisation that not everyone will know everything.

I am sure you can find the right contact through a web search.

[richard-hagan]

Some of the ledgers are now available online. http://www.sebastienerard.org/en/ It looks like piano and harp serial numbers were logged together.

From the home page:

History of the centre

The Centre Sébastien Erard is the research branch of the Gaveau-Erard-Pleyel archives, property of the AXA insurance group. The centre was created in 2010, in partnership with the Association Ad Libitum, Centre International du Pianoforte, in order to make the archives more accessible to scholars. The Gaveau-Erard-Pleyel archives are composed of the instrumental and archival collections of the three most important instrument-making firms in France. This archive (of instruments, books, correspondence, ledgers and account books, patents, royal privileges, engravings, paintings, photographs, drawings, tools, films, etc.) tells the story of harp and piano making from the end of the eighteenth century until the middle of the twentieth century, in France and all over the world. To consult a complete catalogue of the archives, click here.

Contents
This site will make accessible:

■Ledger books and early administrative documents

■Correspondence
■Iconography
■Instruments
■Films
Rights and reproduction
All unauthorized reproduction of these images is strictly prohibited. For all questions regarding these archives, please contact: the Centre Sébastien Erard.

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