Wednesday 22 October 2014

Steinway Serial Nos.


Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1920
200000
1970
418000
1930
270000
1972
426000
1940
300000
1974
436000
1942
310000
1976
445000
1944
316000
1978
455300
1946
319000
1980
468500
1948
324000
1982
478500
1950
331000
1984
488000
1952
337000
1986
498000
1954
343000
1988
507700
1956
350000
1990
516700
1958
358000
1992
523500
1960
366000
1994
530000
1962
375000
1996
537200
1964
385000
1998
545600
1966
395000
2000
554000
1968
405000
2002
563000

These serial numbers can be used only as a reference point.
An Exact date does not make a material difference to an assessment of a piano - a year or so out 120 years ago really is neither here more there.

The idea that 100% accuracy for all piano makers over a century ago is an interesting thought - but considering that all record keeping would be hand-written and kept in large ledger books, inaccuracies are likely. These records will be as reliable as the clerks whose job it was to keep them. The digital age of barcodes and scanned labels was still in the realm of science fiction. So we have to be content with our best guess numbers.

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