Thursday 13 November 2014

Chickering Piano Serial Nos.



Year
Serial No.
Year
Serial No.
1900
93000
1942
174700
1904
101000
1943
179500
1906
107000
1947
187000
1908
112000
1948
189200
1910
115000
1950
195000
1912
120000
1952
198400
1914
122500
1954
202400
1916
126000
1956
205900
1918
128500
1958
209300
1920
132500
1960
212750
1922
134400
1962
216488
1924
137600
1964
219221
1926
141600
1966
222963
1928
145400
1968
226928
1930
148400
1970
230300
1932
149800
1972
232410
1934
152500
1974
235824
1936
158200
1976
239340
1938
163000
1978
242694
1940
167200
1980
245989

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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