To determine the age of a Steinway piano we need to first locate the serial number.
- The Bluebook of Pianos is an invaluable handbook for anyone who owns or plans to buy a piano. After an illustrated discussion of piano structure that explains the workings of both grand and upright pianos, the book gives careful advice for purchasing a new or used piano.
- Boston: Made in: Hamamatsu, Japan by Kawai: Made by: Kawai/Steinway: Rating (see Key) 50-65: Estimated Number In UK: 1000: Year and serial number: 1991 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 144963.
On Steinway upright pianos the serial number can be located on top of the wrestplank above the cast iron plate when you open the lid.
On Steinway grand pianos the serial number can be found on the cast iron plate between the tuning pins above the keyboard.
Steinway Serial Numbers by Year Manufactured
Boston Piano Serial Numbers
Every pre-owned Boston Piano has its own market price, depending on factors such as model, year, serial number, and condition. Park Avenue Pianos is seeking to purchase pre-owned Boston Pianos and we would be happy to help you figure out what your instrument is worth in the resale market. Boston: Made in: Hamamatsu, Japan by Kawai: Made by: Kawai/Steinway: Rating (see Key) 50-65: Estimated Number In UK: 1000: Year and serial number: 1991 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 144963.
Please Note: Serial numbers represent the approximate beginning serial number for the year of production for New York and Hamburg pianos. Steinway Serial numbers for some early production may span more than one year.
Additional Steinway Resources:
- Article/Video: Understanding older pianos: New vs Used Steinway – why some pianos last longer and sound better than others.
- Take a look at the New Steinway Models and our Used Piano Listings
| 1000 = 1856 | 100000 = 1901 | 276000 = 1933 | 385000 = 1964 | 531000 = 1995 |
| 2000 = 1858 | 105000 = 1902 | 278000 = 1934 | 390000 = 1965 | 533500 = 1996 |
| 3000 = 1860 | 110000 = 1904 | 279000 = 1935 | 395000 = 1966 | 538000 = 1997 |
| 5000 = 1861 | 115000 = 1905 | 284000 = 1936 | 400000 = 1967 | 541000= 1998 |
| 7000 = 1863 | 120000 = 1906 | 289000 = 1937 | 405000 = 1968 | 546000 = 1999 |
| 9000 = 1864 | 125000 = 1907 | 290000 = 1938 | 412000 = 1969 | 550000 = 2000 |
| 11000 = 1865 | 130000 = 1908 | 294000 = 1939 | 418000 = 1970 | 555000 = 2001 |
| 13000 = 1866 | 135000 = 1909 | 300000 = 1940 | 423000 = 1971 | 559000 = 2002 |
| 15000 = 1867 | 140000 = 1910 | 305000 = 1941 | 426000 = 1972 | 563000 = 2003 |
| 17000 = 1868 | 150000 = 1911 | 310000 = 1942 | 431000 = 1973 | 567000 = 2004 |
| 19000 = 1869 | 155000 = 1912 | 314000 = 1943 | 436000 = 1974 | 571000 = 2005 |
| 21000 = 1870 | 160000 = 1913 | 316000 = 1944 | 439000 = 1975 | 574500 = 2006 |
| 23000 = 1871 | 165000 = 1914 | 317000 = 1945 | 445000 = 1976 | 578000 = 2007 |
| 25000 = 1872 | 170000 = 1915 | 319000 = 1946 | 450000 = 1977 | 582000 = 2008 |
| 27000 = 1873 | 175000 = 1916 | 322000 = 1947 | 455500 = 1978 | 584500 = 2009 |
| 29000 = 1874 | 183000 = 1917 | 324000 = 1948 | 463000 = 1979 | 587000 = 2010 |
| 31000 = 1875 | 190000 = 1918 | 328000 = 1949 | 468500 = 1980 | 589500 = 2011 |
| 33000 = 1876 | 195000 = 1919 | 331000 = 1950 | 473500 = 1981 | 592000 = 2012 |
| 35000 = 1877 | 200000 = 1920 | 334000 = 1951 | 478500 = 1982 | 594500 = 2013 |
| 40000 = 1878 | 205000 = 1921 | 337000 = 1952 | 483000 = 1983 | 597500 = 2014 |
| 45000 = 1881 | 210000 = 1922 | 340000 = 1953 | 488000 = 1984 | 600000 = 2015 |
| 50000 = 1883 | 217000 = 1923 | 343000 = 1954 | 493000 = 1985 | 603000 = 2016 |
| 55000 = 1886 | 225000 = 1924 | 346500 = 1955 | 498000 = 1986 | 606500 = 2017 |
| 60000 = 1887 | 232000 = 1925 | 350000 = 1956 | 500000 = 1987 | 608500 = 2018 |
| 65000 = 1889 | 240000 = 1926 | 355000 = 1957 | 504000 = 1988 | 611500 = 2019 |
| 70000 = 1891 | 249000 = 1927 | 358000 = 1958 | 508000 = 1989 | 613000 = 2020 |
| 75000 = 1893 | 260000 = 1928 | 362000 = 1959 | 513000 = 1990 | |
| 80000 = 1894 | 263000 = 1929 | 366000 = 1960 | 517000 = 1991 | |
| 85000 = 1896 | 269000 = 1930 | 370000 = 1961 | 521000 = 1992 | |
| 90000 = 1898 | 271000 = 1931 | 375000 = 1962 | 524000 = 1993 | |
| 95000 = 1900 | 274000 = 1932 | 380000 = 1963 | 527000 = 1994 |
Kimball Piano Serial Numbers
The details that make a modern Steinway: Patents by Decade.
Knabe Piano Serial Numbers
| Year | Patents Accumulated | Patents Missing | Select patents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 126 | 13 | |
| 1999 | 123 | 16 | 2000 Piano Sostenuto Assembly, 2003 Damper Adjustment Device |
| 1989 | 116 | 23 | 1992 Piano Hammer Forming Method and Reinforcement, 1996 Piano Escapement Action |
| 1979 | 115 | 24 | 1983 “Permafree II” Bushing Cloth |
| 1969 | 114 | 25 | 1976 Elastomeric Resin Bushing for Piano Action |
| 1959 | 110 | 29 | 1963 Hexagrip Wrestplank |
| 1949 | 107 | 32 | 1959 Action with Means for Adjusting the Touch of Keys |
| 1939 | 93 | 46 | 1944 Piano Pinblock, 1945 High-Frequency Molding Method |
| 1929 | 75 | 64 | 1936 Accelerated Action, Diaphragmatic Soundboard |
| 1919 | 74 | 65 | 1923 Tracker Board for Player Pianos |
| 1909 | 72 | 67 | 1911 Grand Underlever Top Flange w/Flexible Tab |
| 1899 | 68 | 71 | 1903 Upright Plate–Cast Capo Bar, Inverted Scale Rib, Transverse Braces |
| 1889 | 61 | 78 | 1885 Grand Treble Bell, Grand Double Cupola Plate, Upight Closing Rim |
| 1879 | 40 | 99 | 1872 Grand Duplex Agraffe Scale, 1874 Sostenuto Mechanism |
| 1869 | 11 | 128 | 1868-69 Upright and Grand Tubular Metallic Action Frames |
| 1859 | 3 | 136 | 1859 Grand Overstringing |
| 1853 | 0 | 139 | 1857 Square and Grand Actions |