A list of some Longman & Broderip square pianos and their serial numbers
If you have a Longman and Broderip square piano that it is associated to a date, please send us the details of serial number, date, compass and any other information you can add as hand stops, pedals, photos, etc. that you think are original, so we can have a simple record of this make that can help to date a piano. We also encourage you to submit a registration form to Clinkscale online archive, as this is the main database for fortepianos registers.
There was one serial Number series for five octave instruments which ran to over 4000, and a second series for five and a half octave pianos which ran from approx1795 to 1798 and a serial no of approx 900. Some pianos do not have a serial number. Some of the information presented here might contradict this or other sources. I am publishing what I have found from what I consider trustable sources but obviously there are some disagreements. Some people claim that their pianos are of an earlier date in order to increase their value, or just because they do not know the date. The information here is intended to provide a reliable way of dating pianos close in numbering.
First Series:
No 67 is dated 1785
No 289 is dated 1785 (?)
No 361 is signed "John Geib Fecit 1785" under the soundboard
No 1049 is dated 23rd Aug 1787
No 1072 is dated 1787
No 1134 is signed by Geib 1787
No 1816 is 5 octaves and thought to be made around 1789. Private collector, UK.
No 2386 is signed "Geib and Goldsworth 1791
No 2416 is dateable to 1789 by invoice Burghley House...??
No 2707 is datable to 1 Sept 1792 by Invoice
Second Series:
No 248 is dated 1796 (5 1/2 octaves)
No 291 is dated 1796 (6 Octave! Probably the compass was extended in a later date)
No 306 is dated 1796
No 430 is dated 1796
No 470 is dated 1796