Vose & Sons

[Jacob02]

I am currently trying to sell my Vose and Sons Boston Baby Grand Piano and had noticed something unusual about the serial number. It is 94385, but the last two numbers were written ABOVE two numbers that were stamped out. It seems that it was a legitimate stamp out too. I do not know what this could mean. In case this sounds a bit confusing, I will try to display it:

85
943XX

[Bill Kibby]

I don't know what you mean about "a legitimate stamp out". There have been cases where people have interfered with serial numbers to mislead people, I had a customer do it to me once. I am not in a position to comment on Vose pianos, we don't see them over here. You might find something useful on the Numbers link at pianogen.org

[Tom Tuner]

Vose and some others sometimes stamped a "Style no." above the serial number, so it is probably legitimate. I can search my record to see whether I hve encountered any similar models.

Tom Tuner

[Jacob02]

Tom, I would appreciate that alot. Thank you.

Jacob

507-412-3550

[Tom Tuner]

Well, I'm still searching. Vose & Sons was a small firm and their pianos are not common outside New England. Of the rather few I have encountered only very small number were grands. Incidentally, Everett kept up the practice right to the end. Their Style 11 "chapel pianos" had "11" stamped on the wrest-pin cover above the serial number up until Yamaha ended production and closed the factory.
Vose & Sons must have very stout iron plates judging from the high relief of the trademark kythera (or whatever it is) that is cast into them.

Tom Tuner

[Jas1963]

I have a Vose with 94713 so it is close to yours. To verify that this is legite take a leg off or look under the sheet music holder. They all should match. If the do not don't panic. My sound board has 95014 and the leg and music sheet holder have 94743. This puts the wood case at 1924 and a half and the sound board at early 1925. Remember it took almost a year to make a piano back then. Or a defective part did not make it through the final inspection. Hope this Helps Joe

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, if you look at the Datemarks link at pianogen.org you will see that the manufacturing process can be much longer than that, and although the Numbers link there explains that the removable parts are often marked with the number (or the last three digits) to keep them together during manufacture, mistakes can happen.