Piano Trivia
The serial number (serial number) of a piano, such as Steinway, Yamaha, Bechstein, etc., can be used to determine its age of manufacture and is one of the guidelines for purchasing a piano.
About Production Ages and Serial Numbers
Steinway was founded in 1856; the company will celebrate its 165th anniversary in 2021. The number of pianos made during this time is approximately 600,000. Steinway has two models, one made in Hamburg and the other in New York, and this number is the total of both.
(For reference, Yamaha was founded in 1887, and in the 134 years through 2021, they have made nearly 6.5 million! So the criteria for buying a Steinway and a domestic piano such as a Yamaha are completely different.)
) There are years when production is extremely low due to wars and depressions, and there are also subtle differences in the individual pianos depending on the year of production, which can only be said of Steinway, where the majority of production is done by hand.
The following is a rough guide to production numbers and production ages for each decade. ( ) is the year of manufacture.
1,000 (1856), 3,000 (1860), 21,000 (1870), 45,000 (1881), 70,000 (1891), 95,000 (1900), 140,000 (1910), 200,000 (1920), 270,000 (1930), 300 Steinway serial numbers: 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1940, 1950, 1950, 1960, 1960, 1960, 1960, 1960, 1960, 1970, 1970, 1970, 1980, 1980, 1980, 1980, 1980, 516,700 (1990), 554,000 (2000), 589,100 (2010).
→Click here for a list of Steinway serial numbers and production dates.
Steinway and the White House
Steinway also presented the White House with a commemorative gift on the occasion of the one millionth Steinway.
Steinway has demonstrated its presence as the king of piano makers by creating gorgeous pianos for each of its production milestones.
The period from around 1900 to 1930, when the United States was blessed with excellent craftsmen and raw materials, is known as the “Golden Age of Steinway.
We are particularly particular about purchasing pianos made in New York during this “golden period” from around 1915 to 1960, taking condition, quality, and price into consideration.
