Baldwin Info

[Avery Todd]

List,

Another question about the Baldwin I worked on Saturday.

I have a question about the serial number. The plate has been redone 
sometime in the
past but the serial number was not replaced. I found the number 6090 on the 
cheek
blocks & key slip. Would I be correct in assuming this is the serial 
number? If so,
the Atlas lists that as being built between 1895 & 1900. That seems a 
little old
for this instrument.

It's app. 5'+ long (I didn't have a tape measure with me), has a 20 note 
bass with 7
notes (F2-B2 in the tenor) also having bass strings. It's obviously been 
restrung more
than once (it has 6/0 tuning pins!).

Except for the 20 note bass on a small piano (Baldwin doesn't, do they?) 
the only other
thing that seemed different was the action rail where the hammer flanges 
are screwed on.
It was painted a gold color, with a ledge app. ¾" - 1" wide extending out 
from where the
screws are and a factory type, small Baldwin decal on it. I've never seen 
an action with
that ledge before. but it was very handy for holding travel paper! :-)

My primary question though, is about the age. The instrument is now in a 
Masonic Lodge &
the  lady who originally owned the piano told my customer (who plays there) 
that she had
bought it new in the 1960's. Just because of the action frame design alone, 
I seriously, seriously doubt that it was new then!

Can anyone confirm about the serial number location(s)? Thanks.

Avery