Where to find a serial No on a Bentley Upright

[KennyNotts]

Hi all,

As a new member of this forum please forgive me if this is not the right place to ask my question.

I have owned a Bentley piano now for some years after an eledrly relitive left it to me. I have no idea of its model or serial number. All I know is that it is a Bently upright and was purchased new from H Taylor & Son, Walsall.

I am trying to find it's serial number in the hope that I might be able to use this to find out more information about this piano. I have looked in the obvious and easy to get to places and indeed, on the edge of the top lid I found the numbers 91163 punched into the wood. Having checked in the piano history section - this does not seem a valid serial.

Now I did not want to start messing around inside the piano for fear of causing any damage so is there a place on this type of piano where Bentley may have placed thier serial numbers?

Thank you in advance,

Kenny

[PianoGuy]

Serial number location varies on Bentleys, but assuming it's a relatively modern item (anything between 1950 and 2003!) if you are brave enough to remove the top door (panel) and remove the bottom key, the date it left the factory will be written on it in pencil.

Or you could get your tuner to do it when he next calls.

[KennyNotts]

Hi PianoGuy,

What Can I say except thank you. I did indeed do as you suggested and on the side of the bottom key it said Feb, 1959. How fantastic.

Thank you again

Kenny

[dulwichpiano]

I purchased a Bentley upright earlier this week and used PianoGuy's advice to check the date - many thanks. It was exactly where PianoGuy suggested and the date is 3rd January 1977. The serial number is 138372. I will be retiring in about 2 or 3 years time and decided that I wanted to learn to play the piano - chose to learn to play the guitar years ago because I did not have room for a piano. I paid £850 from a local (South London) piano dealer which seems to be about the right price for a shop sale rather than private sale - there is a similar one in a Leeds shop for £750. It may need some retuning - there are a couple of buzzes - but it was retuned in the shop and seems to play pretty well. I have lined up a tuner to do the tuning in a couple of weeks time.

It is in a light mahogany satin finish and there is neither a mark on it nor is there any sunlight fading. At first glance it could easily be mistaken for a new piano. It the piano tuner gives it the all clear hopefully it will suit me well notwithstanding the comments about the relatively poor quality of Bentley pianos of this vintage.
Tim

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, you'll find that information and more on my Datemarks page at http://www.pianogen.org

My Numbers page there also explains the problems of relying on numbers, so it's good to see an actual date on it.