HOW OLD IS MY PIANO?

FREE PIANO IDENTIFICATION & SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL

What Year Was My Howard Piano Made? (Serial Number Lookup + Guide)

DIRECT ANSWER

In most cases, Howard pianos can be dated to a specific year using the serial number. However, accuracy may vary slightly depending on:

production era (pre-Baldwin vs Baldwin-era instruments)
manufacturing location (Chicago-era vs later Baldwin factories)
outsourced production in later years

Howard pianos are generally straightforward to date, but correct identification of the production era is important for accuracy.

HOW TO FIND YOUR HOWARD PIANO’S SERIAL NUMBER

Howard pianos were produced in multiple formats, including uprights and grands.

SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION

HOWARD GRAND PIANOS

Lift the lid and look inside along the plate, usually near the tuning pins or bass strings.
The serial number is usually stamped directly onto the metal frame.

HOWARD UPRIGHT PIANOS

Open the top lid or front panel and look inside the piano.
The serial number is usually stamped into the cast iron plate, typically near the tuning pins.

Important:

Valid serial numbers are always stamped into the metal plate. Numbers found on wood, paper labels, or decals are not reliable for dating.

HOW HOWARD SERIAL NUMBERS WORK

Howard does not use a standalone serial numbering system in most cases.

Instead:

Baldwin-era Howard pianos use the same serial sequence as the Baldwin Piano Company
serial numbers are shared across multiple Baldwin brands and models
the number reflects total production, not just Howard pianos

This means:

your serial number can usually be matched to a specific production year
it will NOT identify the model or brand by itself

Pre-Baldwin Howard pianos (earlier Chicago production) may follow different numbering conventions and can require more specialized interpretation.

HOWARD PIANO SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL

Use the tool below to determine your Howard piano’s age.

STEP 1: SELECT THE MANUFACTURER

Important note for Howard pianos:

Select “Howard” in the manufacturer list, not “Baldwin”

Manufacturer

STEP 2: ENTER YOUR SERIAL NUMBER

Serial Number

STEP 3: THE RESULT

WHAT YEAR IS MY HOWARD PIANO? (WHAT TO EXPECT)

After entering your serial number, you can typically determine:

the manufacturing year of your Howard piano
whether it falls under Baldwin-era production
its approximate position within the production timeline

However, the serial number may not provide:

exact production date (day or month)
clear factory identification in all cases
model-specific details without additional labeling

COMMON HOWARD SERIAL NUMBER MISTAKES

Common issues when identifying Howard piano age include:

entering cabinet or patent numbers instead of the stamped plate number
misreading worn or partially obscured digits
assuming all Howard pianos use the same numbering system across all eras

If your result seems incorrect, verify the number directly on the cast iron plate inside the piano.

HOWARD PIANO HISTORY

The Howard name originated as an independent American piano brand before becoming associated with the Baldwin Piano Company.

Under Baldwin ownership, Howard was used as a secondary brand, often positioned below Baldwin in the product lineup but still built using similar production systems.

Howard pianos were produced in multiple formats, including uprights and grands, and were manufactured across different facilities as Baldwin expanded production.

Because many Howard pianos share Baldwin’s serial numbering system, they are generally easier to date than brands with fragmented or factory-specific numbering schemes. However, earlier pre-Baldwin instruments may require more detailed analysis.

Howard