Steinway & Sons is a highly esteemed piano manufacturing company that has become a household name worldwide for their beautiful grand and upright pianos. Producing high quality, handmade pianos since 1853, Steinway has captured the attention of artisans and virtuosos alike and garnered the spot for some of the most valuable antique handmade pianos still in existence today. Nine out of ten concert pianists prefer Steinway over any other brand.

Should I restore my Steinway & Sons Piano? 

Depending on the condition, age and value, an antique piano may or may not see a significant return on investment from restoration. However, for your Steinway & Sons piano, the answer to this question is almost always going to be an emphatic “YES!” Steinways are made from some of the finest procured materials in the world. Sourcing wood compatible with the historical integrity of their oldest models, Steinway has remained consistent in their craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century. Restoring a Steinway, depending on its condition and the amount of work involved in the process is an investment that will almost always see a return.

Steinways are some of the few handmade pianos still made today. At Lindeblad, we sing Steinway praises, because our team appreciates the level of detail and expertise required to build a piano of their caliber. Most all Steinways have hard-­to-­miss marks of quality in the soundboard construction, hammer and action detailing, and wood finishing that stands out from nearly all other brands. This level of craftsmanship is going to increase in value upon restoration and will add another lifetime of use.

What’s the Age of My Steinway?

Steinway & Sons pianos are typically going to show high return values, but the exact amount depends on both the condition and age of the piano. So, one of the first steps in determining the return on your restoration investment is going to be knowing the age of your Steinway. This will tell us as restoration experts the exact stylist elements and detailed construction choices that were employed at the time of production. This is also going to help us anticipate the condition of certain parts like the hammers, strings, action, and others.

Knowing the age of your Steinway will help our team at Lindeblad begin to put together a game plan for restoration, by defining the scope of the project and which elements of the piano ought to be replaced or refinished. Many of our customers call us to help them do an often forensic ­level retracing of their often heirloom or inherited pianos. Other people bring transactional purchase date papers, and we can do our best to estimate. It is only until we can see the piano serial number that we can give an exact age, and finding the serial number is something you can do from home!

Where Can I find the Serial Number on my Steinway? 

Locating the serial number can differ based on the year and model, but we have put together a helpful diagram with arrows pointed to possible locations. Check that out here! 

The next step is using the following list of serial numbers to know the age of your Steinway & Sons piano. The serial number acts like a birth certificate for each piano. The number has dated information located within it to help manufacturers know exactly which year and sometimes even which month and factory a specific piano was manufactured

To locate and learn the age of your Steinway, use our serial number directory showing year with associated models produced. Providing this number to both an appraiser and a potential restoration shop is going to be vital information and will help accelerate the process of finding out your piano's value.

Contact Lindeblad today to learn more about the restoration process for your Steinway & Sons piano.

Steinway & Sons Serial Number Directory:

*Serial numbers up to 2007 represent rounded-off count at year end

**Serial numbers starting in 2008 are neither first or last numbers. They tend to represent the early months. They are complex lists that round off to the nearest 500, represent milestone numbers, and reflect approximate yearly production volumes.

Serial Number Source: Pierce, W. Robert. Pierce Piano Atlas: Anniversary Edition, 2017 Our 70th Year. Albuquerque: Ashley, 2017. Print.