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FREE PIANO IDENTIFICATION & SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
What Year Was My Wm. Knabe & Co. Piano Made?
(Serial Number Lookup + Guide)
DIRECT ANSWER
Most vintage Wm. Knabe & Co. pianos can be dated from the serial number stamped on the cast-iron plate inside the piano. On uprights, consoles, and spinets, look beneath the top lid; on grands, remove or slide the music desk forward and inspect the plate near the tuning pins.
For Knabe’s primary American production years, the serial numbers followed a continuous numerical progression. If a later, overseas-made Knabe has letters next to its number, enter the digits only in the lookup tool.
WM. KNABE & CO. SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
WHERE IS THE SERIAL NUMBER ON A KNABE?
KNABE GRAND PIANOS
Slide the wooden music desk smoothly forward and completely off its guide rails to expose the interior.
Look directly at the gold-painted cast-iron frame near the tuning pins, usually toward the center or left-hand bass side.
The serial number is stamped directly into the metal frame, often near the Knabe company crest or logo, but occasionally in odd places, such as in our example below.
UPRIGHT, CONSOLE, AND SPINET PIANOS
Raise the top hinge lid of the piano cabinet.
Examine the upper surface of the heavy iron frame inside.
The serial number will be stamped clearly in dark ink directly onto the gold metal plate, or painted onto the wood backing visible through a cast cutout in the frame
DO NOT USE THESE NUMBERS
Patent dates, award dates, and other historical dates cast into the plate. These are permanent design or branding marks, not the piano’s serial number.
Letters that appear before the number on some later Knabe instruments. Enter the numerical portion only.
WHAT A KNABE SERIAL NUMBER CAN TELL YOU
A Knabe serial-number lookup can usually identify the piano’s production year and place it within the company’s historical production timeline.
It cannot identify the original owner or dealer, the exact month or day of manufacture, the original cabinet veneer or styling details, or whether the piano has been rebuilt or restored since it left the factory.
WM. KNABE & CO. PIANO HISTORY
Wm. Knabe & Co. was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1837 by William Knabe. The company became one of the leading American piano makers and is especially known for its Baltimore-built instruments.
In 1926, Knabe became the official piano of the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
During the Great Depression, the company became part of the American Piano Corporation, later Aeolian-American.
Production later moved from Baltimore to East Rochester, New York.
Vintage Baltimore-built Knabe pianos remain well known for their distinctive tonal character and are often considered worthwhile restoration candidates.
Reviewed by Joe Kemple, Master Piano Technician, Burd and Sons Piano Service · Updated September 2026
Our database includes Knabe piano serial numbers across all major production eras and instrument types.
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