Wurlitzer “Starke Model” Orchestral Grand with 7 pedals

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Looking for a little info please…

I have inherited the above named harp and might want to sell it. I do not know if it has ever been “rebuilt” and know nothing about harps. It does not appear to have had anything done to it at all and looks to be in nice condition to an untrained eye. It has been in my family since it was purchased in Chicago in the late 1920’s(?)in excellent care.

My question is, does anyone think it is even worth the cost of an appraisal? I hate to have to take it to Atlanta (100 miles) to have it appraised if it isn’t worth anything significant as is. Any thoughts please…

[Lynne Abbey-Lee]

Hi Lisa,

http://www.wurlitzerharps.com

This is a website about Wurlitzer harps, run by a harpist in the Netherlands. Your harp is surely worth the cost of an appraisal. Wurlitzer made excellent harps.

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Thank you for your input. I have looked and cannot find a serial number. Any suggestions where it might be?

[galen-reed]

I’m surprised a lot of folks aren’t responding here, as everything I’ve heard about Wurlitzer’s is, about them as a class, very good. I would think it very much worth your while to get to Atlanta. Also, since it seems you are pretty new to the harp world, if the harp is laid down for transporting be sure the side to a players left is facing up, and that there is a lot of cushioning underneath and around the sides.

Hope it’s worth the trip, and that you’re rewarded for your efforts!

[sherry-lenox]

Are you looking at the brass plate inside the strings up by the crown? There can be engraving there with the Sarke designation and a serial number.

My harp is in excellent condition with its original soundboard. Its serial number is 696.

Definitely have it appraised by a qualified professional.

[carl-swanson]

You should have a good technician look at it and tell you exactly what condition it is in. The technician can also tell you the best way to take care of it if you are going to keep it. Lastly, the technician can give you a rough estimate of its resale value, and also what the current cost of putting it into good working order would be. Wurlitzer’s were good instruments and it should be kept in a way that it doesn’t deteriorate.

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

I believe it is 755

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Thank you.

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Thank you.

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Thank you.

[Lisa Billetdeaux]

Sherry, do you have any idea what your harp is worth and would you share that with me?

[sherry-lenox]

Mine is a Howard Bryan harp and cost me in the neighborhood of $18,000 in excellent playable condition.

I had something of a choice in whether or not I wanted a new soundboard,

and with Howard’s agreement, I chose to keep the original soundboard with Howard’s light stringing. A new Howard Bryan soundboard would have been about $2000 more.

I wanted the harp to sound as close as possible to what it had sounded like when it had come off the Wurlitzer assembly line. If I had wanted to take it out more often, I would probably not have wanted to keep the original soundboard, which is in its original condition very thin.

Have you gotten an appraisal? An appraiser could probably give you a value that you could get for your harp now, and a second potential value after restoration.

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