Erard serial numbers

When I bought my Erard piano (nr 38180), I tried to find its age. Internet is full of quasi-exact dating of Erard pianos, but in fact the doubts are huge. So, I decide to make my own research and put together all documented facts about relations of Erard serial numbers to years of production. I have used different sources, so I am only a compiler, but not the author of information. So, if you need to date your own Erard piano, you can use this table.


As we know, Erard is not only a person, but a piano factory with long and rich history. It was located in Paris, France, but also the London branch was very active and existed during many years.

The problem of Erard's numeration is that from the beginning (ca 1780) to 1808 Erard used the different numeration for every type of musical instruments he had produced. So, we have different numeration for square pianos, for grand pianos of old type, for grand pianos of new type etc. After 1808 Erard decided to standardize his numeration and used the numeration of square pianos - the main type of his production before 1808. Only Erard's harps continued to have their own numeration.

The Erard's factory in London has its own numeration, so it's important to determine where the piano was made.

Erard made his first grand piano in 1797 (the other sources give us the date "ca. 1790"). The first square piano - in 1777.
Legend:
The number(s) - the date (more or less exact) - the type of piano (when is known).

The earliest numbers of Erard's pianos are following:

Pianos "en forme de clavecin" (old model):
1-70 – 11 February 1798 – 14 January 1801

28 – 1800

55 – 1801

71-209 – 12 January 1802 – 24 August 1806

86 – 1802

133 – 1803

210-263 – January 1807 – December 1809

264-394 are not exist (= 1-131 of "new model")

Pianos "en forme de clavecin"(new model):

1-131 – 1810 – 13 September 1816

395-410 – 25 January 1816 – December 1817

411-447 – January 1818 – September 1819

Unified numbering:

1293-4869 – 1788-1802

1672 – ca 1789 Square piano

1987 – 1791 Square piano

2036 – ca 1791 Grand piano

2336 – 1791 Square piano

2851 – 1794

3979 – 1799

4831 – 1801

4870-6800 – 8 January 1802 – 29 July 1806

4871 – 1802 Square piano

5233 – 1802

6800-10580 – September 1806 – 3 Jan. 1819

6850 – 1806

7098-7114 – October 1807 Square piano

7250-7282 – Ferbuary / March 1808 Square piano

7488 – 1808 Square piano

7752 – ca 1809 Square piano

8414 – February 1812 Square piano

8598 – ca 1812 Square piano

8927 – ca 1813 Square piano

10581-10662 – December 1819-1820

10663-11109 are missing or not exist

11110-12038 – 1820-1822

11492 – ca 1822 Square piano

12039-12972 – 1823 to June 1830

12758 – 1827 Grand

12831 – ca 1828 Grand

12964 – ca 1833 (or before) Grand

13076 – 1832 Grand

13093 – ca 1828 Grand

13143 – ca 1832 Grand

13236 – 1834 Upright piano (pianino)

13279 – 1834 Upright

13317 – 1834 Grand

13334 – 1834 Square piano

13392 – 30.07.1836 Grand

13484 – 1837 Grand

13725 – March 1836

13783 – 1836 Grand

13975 – ca 1840 Square piano

14100 – 1838 Grand

14195 – 1838

14230 – 1838 Grand

14404 – 1828

14440 – 1838 Grand

14731 – 1838 Grand

14769 – 1840 or 1838 Square piano

14832 – 1840

14854 – 1839 Grand

14932 – 1840 Grand

15181 – 1841 Grand

15348 – 1843 Grand

15582 – 1843? Grand

15621 – 1843? Grand

15830 – 1843-44? Grand

16043 – ca 1841 Upright

16100 – 1843

16406 – 1843 Grand

16427 – 1844 Upright

19143 – ca 1846 Grand

19333 – 1847

19366 – 1845 Upright

19367 – 1846? Grand

19436 – 1847

19450 – 1845? Square piano

19458 – ca 1847 Upright

19582 – 1847

19769 – 1847 Grand

20293 – 1847

21815 – 1850

23784 – 1852? Grand

23981 – ca 1853 Upright

24155 – 1853 Grand

24381 – 1853 Grand piano-harmonium

24598 – 1853 Grand pedal piano

25186 – ca 1855 Grand

26606 – 1856 Grand

27367 – 1856 Grand

33678 – 1858 Grand

36314 – 1860 Grand

41481 – 1868

53450 – ca 1880

54126 – 1880

56532 – ca 1882

56650 – 1882

60320 – 1885

68004 – 1892

80496 – 1901

86356 – 1903 Grand

88251 – 1905 Grand

90785 – 1906 Grand

96708 – 1909 Grand

104210 – 1912 Grand

105489 – 1914 Upright

106631 – 1912 Grand

115004 – 1920 Grand

Pianos made by Erard's factory in London:

74 – ca 1830 Grand

177 – 1832 Grand

698 – 1840 Grand

1243 – ca 1840 Grand

2911 – 1852 Grand

4140 – ca 1853-55 Grand

4395 – ca 1855 Grand

5862 – ca 1858 Upright

5964 – 1856 Grand

6562 – 1860 Grand

7283 – ca 1861

7441 – 1861

10394 – 1867 Grand

14508 – ca 1875

Doubtful Erard pianos known in USA (no Erard? not exact numbers? not proper date?):

4474 – ca 1825? Cottage piano

7764 – ca 1828? Upright piano

If somebody have his remarks, or more numbers / dates, let me know please.