Challen Serial Nos.

Year	Serial No.	Year	Serial No.
1916	34170	1952	76900
1918	35362	1954	79713
1920	35814	1956	83000
1922	36280	1958	85300
1924	37761	1960	87529
1926	38608	1961	88400
1928	39885	1965	91500
1930	43205	1966	92294
1932	47684	1968	93650
1934	52424	1970	95069
1936	57740	1972	100290
1938	63330	1974	101344
1940	66480	1976	102337
1942	67960	1978	103595
1946	68086	1980	104455
1948	70250	1982	105107
1950	73043	1983	105325

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

Challenging: Short History

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

Bosendorfer: Short History

Bentley Serial Nos.

Year	Serial No.	Year	Serial No.
1920	10000	1970	120200
1930	31100	1972	126000
1935	40300	1974	132200
1940	56800	1976	138500
1941	58600	1978	143000
1946	59850	1980	147500
1948	63600	1982	150900
1950	68000	1984	153250
1952	72900	1986	155650
1954	76200	1988	158000
1956	81801	1990	159000
1958	87690	1992	160250
1960	97100	1994	161400
1962	101140	1996	161750
1964	105750	1998	162470
1966	110100	2000	162820
1968	114700	2002	163060

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

Bentley: Short History