HOW OLD IS MY PIANO?
FREE PIANO IDENTIFICATION & SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
What Year Was My Petrof Piano Made? (Serial Number Lookup & Guide)
DIRECT ANSWER
To find the year your Petrof piano was made, locate its serial number and enter it into the lookup tool below after selecting Petrof from the manufacturer dropdown.
Petrof pianos have been manufactured in Hradec Králové, in what is now the Czech Republic, since the nineteenth century. Most instruments can be dated using the company’s historical serial number records.
Dating accuracy can depend on:
- Production era: Early family-owned production, twentieth-century state-controlled manufacturing, and modern production belong to different chapters of the company’s history.
- Brand identification: Petrof has historical connections to other Czech piano brands, including Weinbach, but those instruments should not automatically be entered under Petrof.
- Serial number identification: Model numbers, action markings, and plate casting numbers can resemble serial numbers but will not provide a reliable manufacturing date.
HOW PETROF SERIAL NUMBERS WORK
Petrof serial numbers are generally numeric and follow a chronological production sequence.
Both upright and grand pianos can usually be dated using the Petrof serial number record. The number identifies the instrument’s approximate position in the manufacturer’s production history; it does not, by itself, identify the model or piano size.
In practical terms:
- Enter the actual manufacturing serial number, not the model designation.
- Petrof model names often include a letter and numbers, such as P 125, P 131, or P 194. These identify the piano model or approximate size and are not serial numbers.
- Use the full serial number exactly as shown on the instrument.
- Older instruments may have shorter serial numbers than more recently manufactured pianos.
- Depending on the available historical records, the result may be an exact year or an estimated production range.
WHERE IS THE SERIAL NUMBER ON A PETROF?
Petrof serial numbers are usually located inside the instrument on the cast-iron plate, near the tuning pins, or on an interior structural component.
PETROF UPRIGHT PIANOS
- Lift the top lid of the piano.
- Look down inside at the cast-iron plate and tuning-pin area.
- Check the upper portions of the plate, particularly near the center or either upper corner.
- Inspect the wooden structural areas immediately adjacent to the plate if the number is not obvious.
- On some instruments, additional identification markings may appear behind the upper front panel.
Avoid removing panels or internal components unless you can do so safely. If the number is difficult to locate, a piano technician can identify it during a service appointment.
PETROF GRAND PIANOS
- Open the main lid and secure it with the prop stick.
- Look down at the cast-iron plate inside the piano.
- Check near the tuning pins, especially in the area behind the music desk.
- If necessary, carefully slide the music desk forward to reveal portions of the plate hidden beneath it.
- Also inspect the plate near the manufacturer’s name and along the inner rim of the instrument.
The serial number is generally a longer numeric marking than the model designation.
PETROF PIANO SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A PETROF LOOKUP
After entering a valid serial number, you can typically determine:
- The approximate year your Petrof piano was manufactured.
- Whether the instrument belongs to an earlier historical period or a more recent production era.
- Its approximate age based on the manufacturing year.
A serial number lookup generally will not identify:
- The original retail price or current market value.
- The original dealer, purchaser, or ownership history.
- Whether the piano has been rebuilt, restored, or significantly modified.
- The precise date the instrument left the factory.
- The piano’s exact model if the model designation is not separately documented.
If you are considering buying or selling a Petrof, its age is only one factor. Model, size, condition, maintenance history, and local market demand also influence value.
COMMON PETROF SERIAL NUMBER MISTAKES
Common identification problems include:
- Entering the model number instead of the serial number. Designations such as P 118, P 125, P 131, and P 173 describe models, not production sequence.
- Selecting the wrong manufacturer. Petrof and Weinbach are related names in Czech piano manufacturing, but the brand printed on the instrument should guide your manufacturer selection.
- Using a casting number or action number. Smaller numbers stamped on individual parts may identify components rather than the complete piano.
- Omitting digits. Dust, worn ink, and poor lighting can make a serial number difficult to read.
- Assuming the model number indicates the manufacturing year. The numbers in Petrof model names usually relate to the instrument’s approximate size, not its age.
If your result does not match the apparent age of the piano, recheck both the serial number and the name displayed on the fallboard or cast-iron plate.
PETROF PIANO HISTORY
Petrof was founded in 1864 by Antonín Petrof in Hradec Králové, a historic Czech city known in German as Königgrätz.
After training in piano making in Vienna, Antonín returned home and established the company that would become one of the best-known piano manufacturers in Central Europe.
Key periods in the company’s history include:
- 1864 and the early family era: Antonín Petrof founded the business and began manufacturing pianos in Hradec Králové.
- Late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: The company expanded its production of grand and upright pianos and developed an international reputation.
- Twentieth-century political transitions: Manufacturing continued through major changes in Central Europe, including the creation of Czechoslovakia, the world wars, and the later period of state-controlled industry.
- Post-1989 transition: Following political changes in Czechoslovakia, the Petrof family gradually regained a role in the company’s ownership and management.
- Modern production: Petrof continues to produce upright and grand pianos in the Czech Republic and remains closely associated with the piano-making traditions of Hradec Králové.
Petrof instruments are often recognized for their warm, rounded tonal character and European manufacturing heritage. Older and newer examples can vary substantially in design, condition, and market value, making accurate age identification an important first step.
Our database includes Petrof piano serial numbers across documented production eras and instrument types.
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