Tuesday 28 October 2014

Baldwin Serial Nos.


Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1925
48000
1970
190028
1930
63000
1972
195485
1935
74600
1974
204113
1940
88700
1976
213470
1941
91000
1978
222683
1943
102000
1980
236654
1948
105000
1982
248306
1950
110243
1984
257293
1952
118244
1986
266329
1954
125050
1988
278556
1956
131515
1990
290656
1958
138559
1992
307561
1960
145002
1994
322347
1962
152706
1996
335514
1964
160868
1998
349726
1966
170652
2000
366583
1968
179702
2002
380584

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

Nathaniel Berry Serial Nos.


Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1896
6880
1930
26699
1898
7450
1932
29229
1900
8250
1934
31547
1902
8908
1936
34652
1904
9500
1938
38522
1906
10503
1940
41700
1908
11246
1942
42250
1910
12159
1946
42290
1912
12676
1947
42320
1914
13347
1948
42450
1916
14265
1950
42700
1918
16000
1952
43050
1920
17000
1954
43383
1922
18272
1956
44260
1924
19945
1958
44614
1926
21713
1960
45084
1928
24159
1966
46191

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