Wednesday 22 October 2014

Bechstein Serial Nos.


Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1920
115783
1970
162300
1930
137446
1972
164400
1940
143890
1974
166600
1942
144740
1976
168950
1943
145000
1978
171350
1944
145220
1980
173785
1945
146235
1982
175749
1950
147000
1984
177110
1952
147300
1986
178422
1954
148000
1988
179754
1956
148650
1990
180821
1958
149900
1992
182103
1960
151950
1994
183219
1962
153400
1996
184580
1964
155300
1998
186703
1966
157570
2000
187537
1968
159840
2002
189250

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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