[pianotech] age of steinway

[CHARLES BECKER]

Thanks for the information.  chuck
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ed Foote 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:27 AM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] age of steinway





  >>Steinway  vertical  serial #  98761

  Pierce dates this piano circa 1900.  Blue book website dates this piano circa 1903.  Who to believe?  


  Greetings, 
     I would go with 1900.  According to the Steinway publication of 20 years ago, there are about 5000 serial numbers used, per year. The last number of 1900 was 100,000.  This had to have been an attempt to make the 100,000th piano coincide with the new century, but it also is in line with production/year records that is pretty consistent throughout their history. 
         The definitive, absolute, last word on Steinway dating is the penciled in date on the end of the keys that agrees with the handwritten date or stamp on the damper tray.  Even then, I think the serial numbers were, at one time, assigned on the loading dock, so a piano that got held up, or sidelined, may have a later serial number than the construction would indicate. 
  Regards, 

  Ed Foote RPT
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