Showing posts with label Bosendorfer Pianos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bosendorfer Pianos. Show all posts

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Bosendorfer Serial Nos.


Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1920
22530
1970
29109
1930
25350
1972
29547
1940
26290
1974
30224
1942
26550
1976
31109
1943
26660
1978
32103
1944
26730
1980
33444
1948
26830
1982
35140
1950
26960
1984
36701
1952
27170
1986
38246
1954
27390
1988
39715
1956
27640
1990
41062
1958
27800
1992
42310
1960
28017
1994
43095
1962
28126
1996
43660
1964
28329
1998
44324
1966
28546
2000
45150
1968
28785
2002
46206

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.

Back to the Piano Atlas

Sunday 11 August 2013

Bosendorfer Pianos - The Early Years

 There were many piano builders in Vienna in 1828 when Ignaz Bosendorfer began building his pianos.  At 19, Ignaz Bosendofer began an apprenticeship with the organ & piano builder Joseph Brodman.

When he was 34 years old he took over the Brodman workshops and set about improving their pianos. The Viennese pianos were traditionally mellow in sound with a light and easy touch of the action. Improving the construction allowed for heavier strings and a stronger action, thus making the tone much more like that of the modern piano. 

In the piano world, high quality speaks for itself - the rugged reliability of Bösendorfer pianos won the admiration of virtuososFranz Liszt, known for his formidable technique found it difficult to find a piano that could withstand his vigourous playing - until friends suggested he try a Bosendorfer Piano for his recitals.
Using a Bosendorfer, he was impressed to find at the end of the recital, the piano was undamaged! This sensational moment established the Bosendorfer Piano's reputation and their long association with Franz Liszt who wrote, “The perfection of a Bösendorfer exceeds my most ideal expectations...”
Bösendorfer Pianos were soon exported to the rest of Europe and overseas so that Bosendorfer became the best-known of all Austrian pianos.
About 1860, Ludwig Bösendorfer succeeded his father in carrying on the business and moving to a new factory in New Vienna. Bösendorfer had to move again ten years later to cope with the growing demand for Bosendorfer Pianos.
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