One of the primary ways you can begin to investigate the value of your piano is by locating the serial number. The serial number is considered your piano’s birth certificate, and it is the way the original manufacturer assigned it a unique.
Harrington Piano Company was established in 1871 in New York City. The firm quickly gained recognition for building very high quality instruments, and they were producing an estimated 100 pianos a month by 1880. After the turn-of-the-century, the Harrington firm was controlled by the illustrious Hardman, Peck & Company. Recorded serial number under Aeolian's ownership was dated in 1982, about the time Aeolian went out of business. In the 1990s the Hardman, Peck & Co. Name was then applied to pianos made by the Dongbei Piano Co. In China for the New York distributor, North American Music Inc; and by 2006, by the. Check the serial number with manufacturer lists. Try the website UK Pianos (see resources) and type 'Piano Serial Numbers' in the search field. Click on the first link 'Piano Serial Numbers Part 1.' View theirs for free to see if yours is listed.
However, locating it can be tricky. We provide our customers with the following real-life diagrams to quickly help them find the serial number on their grand or upright piano.
- According to the Pierce Piano Atlas Harding piano serial numbers go no higher than 152200, 1982, which is the last serial number listed for this company. 1920's - 1930's would have serial numbers anywhere from 86000 to 97000.
- The Harrington Midget, with the same qualities as are in the larger pianos, has a marvelous tone for so small a piano.
Piano Values By Serial Number
Grand serial numbers like on the Steinway pictured above may be found in many different places. The various places on the diagram point to some possible locations.
Typically, a serial number has 5 to 7 digits, but in some cases, it may have fewer or more and may also include a letter. This is a view of the grand with the lid open and the music desk removed. It may be necessary to clean dust off the harp or soundboard before the serial number can be seen.
Upright or vertical piano serial numbers can usually be found by lifting the lid and looking inside on the gold harp or plate. It is usually not necessary to remove the upper front panel to find the serial number (as in this picture).
By locating the serial number, you can begin your research to know the value of the piano. The first thing the serial number tells you is the age of the piano. Paired with the who made the piano, the age is a key piece of information, and many piano experts can begin to assign a value quickly after assessing the condition and a few other criteria.
Sometimes, however, a serial number can be nearly impossible to find, even to professionals who know where to look and have identified thousands of serial numbers in their years of expertise. If you are running into this problem, feel free to give us a call, and we’ll be happy to work with you to locate your serial number.
Contact us today!
Original image sources:
Grand piano: https://www.amromusic.com/
Upright piano: http://www.steinhovenpianos.com/
