A PRELIMINARY RECKONING OF ESTEY REED ORGAN NUMBERS AND DATES, a list
compiled by Ed Boadway, hopefully to be expanded by others. August 2005
Estey & Green instruments usually had a small paper label bearing
only a printed number, and dates appeared on patent information. By
1866, a larger label containing far more information, a number printed
in red, and lines for pencilled dates as the organ went through the
assembly line, were in use. But, the dirty, pencilled notations are
often hard to read. In various formats, the numbered labels were used
until the end, but after 1914 there is a very obvious lack of dates,
unfortunately following a long period during which the month and year
were stamped on the label. It is possible that a factory directive
requested discontinuing the dates, for perhaps organs were “stockpiled”
and when one was sold, a buyer wouldn’t discover that his new organ was
not quite so new. It is especially distressing that so many of the fine
20th century two-manual organs are hard to date.
This list contains entries regarding organs that have very definite
dates, most of which match grand tallies that appeared in catalogues and
in advertising. While the very best source of an organ’s age is a dated
label, one can also occasionally find the name of a tuner and date
pencilled on keys, locate a receipt bearing a number, find a purchase
date in church records, read a memorial placque, or after 1914, find a
label that an employee did actually fill out!
This list of instruments seen or worked on by the compiler is considered
accurate, and no “guesstimates” are included, though we can all
rather well pinpoint an Estey’s age. It would appear that some 5,000
instruments were made before Jacob Estey bought into the business, and
“folding organs” bearing numbers in excess of 520,000 exist.
Please expand this list as much as you can and inform me. With
Thanks, I am
Sincerely,
E. A. Boadway