Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Jesse French & Sons Piano..have serial: what year? value?

I have an old Jesse French and Sons Piano in great condition. Its serial is 182927, can someone tell me what year it is from (maybe with the piano atlas)? I am thinking 1940's or early 50's?

Also is there any value in it? All keys, pedals, etc work flawlessly and the piano still plays well. Normal wear but very little for such an old piano.

Thanks so much to anyone that can help

Pierce's Piano Atlas indicates the serial number was manufactured in 1948; unless, of course, it was a Jesse French Piano manufactured by P.A. Stark, which would indicate a manufacturing date of 1964.

http://www.bluebookofpianos.com/pianoage.html

This is a serial number index for all pianos. This one looks to be 1963.

As for value, I'll let an expert answer that one.

The Jesse French & Sons piano company manufactured pianos from 1896 until 1953. In 1955 P.A. Stark control Jesse French.

The Jesse French pianos that were manufactured during the control of P.A. Stark had serial numbers that started with 161500 in 1955, and the last year of manuf. under this control was 1965 with serial numbers starting with 195000.

The Jesse French & Sons piano company, in 1948 (pre-P.A. Stark Control), started the serial numbers this year with 180000.

I know this is a bit confusing, but it could easily be a 1948 or a 1964 manufacturing date since there were duplications of serial numbers, depending on which year it was made.

The above information is from Pierce's Piano Atlas.

It's a console. If everything works and it holds a tune (which it may or may not at this point) its worth $500 - $1000 in most markets, depending on wear/physical condition. If it doesn't hold its tune, I don't know that you will be able to sell it.