Chickering Piano Serial Numbers And Dates
To find the value of a piano with a serial number, use the number to determine the approximate date the piano was made. Match the serial number to a manufacturer using a list of numbers and brands, such as the one available on UKPianos.co.uk. Research the prices of instruments of similar age, condition and make to estimate the piano's value. Chickering & Sons was an American piano manufacturer located in Boston, Massachusetts, known for producing award-winning instruments of superb quality and design.The company was founded in 1823 by Jonas Chickering and James Stewart, but the partnership dissolved four years later. By 1830 Jonas Chickering became partners with John Mackay, manufacturing pianos as 'Chickering & Company',.
Hello Fellow Technicians -I am new to the field & have a question about finding out the manufacture date of a piano I own. I do in fact have a copy of Pierce Piano Atlas - FYI.I own a Chickering baby grand built in Boston, Massachusetts. The serial # is 1742.Pierce Piano Atlas says that is was made between 1830 & 1835.
Becuase the Boston factory burned down, I suppose I would have to find a way to get a hold of a representative from either Wurlitzer or Baldwin (former owners of the Chickering name) & ask them if they could give me a more exact manufacture date - at least an exact year or month. Do you know of any other resources that I could take advantage of in order to find out this information?Thanks in advance,Nathan. Hello Fellow Technicians -I am new to the field & have a question about finding out the manufacture date of a piano I own. I do in fact have a copy of Pierce Piano Atlas - FYI.I own a Chickering baby grand built in Boston, Massachusetts.
The serial # is 1742.Pierce Piano Atlas says that is was made between 1830 & 1835. Becuase the Boston factory burned down, I suppose I would have to find a way to get a hold of a representative from either Wurlitzer or Baldwin (former owners of the Chickering name) & ask them if they could give me a more exact manufacture date - at least an exact year or month. Do you know of any other resources that I could take advantage of in order to find out this information?Thanks in advance,NathanI've been told by a technician in my area to look carefully at the first few (1-4) keys on the lower end of the piano, taking out these keys to thoroughly inspect them. There could be writing on the sides or bottoms of these keys, I was told, done by the factory workers. I suspect that the number you are looking at is not a serial number. Some indications of the age would be whether it has a cast plate or if it is made of bars and plates fastened together.
Is it cross-strung, i.e., do the bass strings cross over the tenor strings? If it has a cast plate, it is not that old. If it is cross-strung, it is even newer. It should be at least 6 feet long, hardly a 'baby' grand, to be that age.
If it has 85 or more keys, it is newer.The very early records of Chickering are gone, and the later ones may be in a museum in Rochester, but they would not be at Baldwin. I suspect that the number you are looking at is not a serial number. Some indications of the age would be whether it has a cast plate or if it is made of bars and plates fastened together. Is it cross-strung, i.e., do the bass strings cross over the tenor strings? If it has a cast plate, it is not that old. If it is cross-strung, it is even newer.
It should be at least 6 feet long, hardly a 'baby' grand, to be that age. If it has 85 or more keys, it is newer.The very early records of Chickering are gone, and the later ones may be in a museum in Rochester, but they would not be at Baldwin.BDB -I'm almost 100% that the number I'm looking at is the serial. What other number could the number I'm seeing be, other than a part number?
The bass strings do cross the treble very slightly, but the piano is under 6 feet long (5' 3') & the plate says international pitch 435. It has Victorian-Style features as well - very decorative legs, etc.
If the piano was 'rebuilt' at some time in the past you may never find a valid serial number. If the plate was refinished—or even cleaned and scrubbed thoroughly—the original number may have been permanently obliterated. Not all rebuilders replace the SN in the original location; or replace it at all.Some will stamp it in an out of the way, but still visible, place on the soundboard.
Chickering Piano Value
I’ve seen it stamped on the face of the bellyrail. Occasionally it will be stamped on the front edge of the keyframe frontrail. Check the inside of the inner rim below the pinblock (you may have to have the action out of the piano for this). Another common location is the front edge of the hammershank action rail.You can also look underneath the keybed. Or along the back edge of the keybed. Sometimes folks get truly creative when it comes to hiding the SN of a piano.It is also possible that, like your technician suggested, you might find either a SN or, possibly, a manufacture date on the keys or keyframe.Sometimes you have to be something of a detective. And, sometimes, just like the real-world detective, you may never solve the case.ddf.
Manufacturers Index Chickering & SonsFactory Location: Boston, MassachusettesSerial Number Dates: 1823 - 1988 (?)History:The Chickering piano has a long and colorful history. Jonas Chickering was from Boston, Massachusettes, and was building pianos in the early 1800s. In 1843 he patented a complete cast-iron frame for the grand piano.
This award winning frame (used for uprights as well) was placed into production around 1845. In 1852, the Chickering factory in Boston was destroyed by fire, prompting the building of a much larger factory, which was at that time, the second largest building in the United States. The new factory was able to produce around 1000 pianos per year. In 1908 a quarter-grand piano was introduced. With its high profile brandname and its quality workmanship, Chickering became the number one competitor for the Steinway Company, especially after Chickering added a full size concert grand piano to its line of production.
In 1908 the company merged with the Knabe Piano Company to become the Aeolian American Piano Company. The Chickering name is now owned by Wurlitzer.
Essex Piano Serial Numbers
Production lasted for more than a century.Information source: Our ServicesGrand & Baby Grand Pianos:.Manufacturers Index.
