How Do You Determine the Age of a Piano Through Its Serial Number?
There are numerous online resources to determine the age of a piano through its serial number, including Estey Piano, Total Piano Care and Bluebook of Pianos. For best results, search the online database first by the make and model and then by the serial number. A piano’s serial number generally has five to seven digits and may include a letter, though this depends upon the manufacturer and age.
A piano’s serial number identifies the age of the piano and the year of manufacture. It also provides the circumstances of its production, such as the company, process of manufacture and factory history. Find a console, upright or spinet piano’s serial number in one of the five most common spots: on the plate or gold harp, on the underside of the lid, on the back of the piano, on one of the hammers or on one of the keys inside the piano.
Most online databases list piano serial numbers in five-year increments. Find the date range in which the serial number falls for an estimate within five years of the piano’s exact age. Services such as Estey Piano, Total Piano Care and Bluebook of Pianos also offer piano value appraisals and determine the value of a piano with its serial number, name brand and vertical measurements.
