Showing posts with label Schiedmayer and Soehne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Schiedmayer and Soehne. Show all posts

Thursday 14 October 2021

Schiedmayer & Soehne Serial Nos.

 

Year

Serial No.

Year

Serial No.

1900

20005

1948

51900

1910

28611

1949

52950

1915

33486

1950

53100

1920

35321

1952

53185

1925

40130

1961

54135

1926

41567

1966

54605

1927

42261

1967

54705

1928

43372

1968

54800

1929

44237

1969

124600

1930

45037

1970

124870

1931

45326

1971

125165

1932

45528

1972

125460

1933

45712

1975

126130

1934

45806

1978

126420

1935

46017

1980

126640

1938

47200

1981

126801

1940

49600

1982

126901

1943

51700

1983

126960


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

Friday 8 June 2012

Schiedmayer Pianos

The first Schiedmayer Piano was built around 1735 - still early days in the history of the piano. It is not known how Balthasar Schiedmayer, who was born in 1711, came to be building pianos but his name would be associated with piano-making of distinction and excellence long into the 21st century.

By 1845, the business was based in Stuttgart and headed by Johann Lorenz Schiedmayer who brought his sons into the business and changed the name to Schiedmayer and Soehne. 

The younger sons of Johann Lorenz, Julius and Paul, spent some time in London and Paris and eventually established themselves in Stuttgart around 1853 building harmoniums under the name of J & P Schiedmayer.

In 1860, when the harmonium market was saturated, the shrewd business decision was taken to concentrate solely on building pianos and thus the business name was changed to Schiedmayer Pianofabrik. 

A while back, I worked on a Schiedmayer Grand. It was very old - I reckon it was made about 1895. I have commented elsewhere that I do not think anyone should spend serious money on pianos of this age. For this piano, a day spent regulating the action so as to make the best of its existing state was as far as I was prepared to go.

I was impressed that though so old, this piano still has all the qualities of a respectable and durable piano. Reassuring to know that a quality instrument such as this Schiedmayer, used daily, continues to sing out its piano music with a good deal of finesse even after more than 100 years.



Directory of Piano Makers


©