Mason & Hamlin dating guide.
The biggest reed-organ maker of the 1870s — up to 200 instruments a week.
By the early 1870s Mason & Hamlin was the largest reed-organ manufacturer in the world: around 500 workers turning out up to 200 instruments a week. The company later became a piano maker (since 1996 part of Burgett/PianoDisc). For the reed organs, dating runs on estate documentation, the same label-hunting route as other pump organs, and museum resources.
No model-by-model serial tables
Mason & Hamlin never published serial charts — and no verifiable community table exists. This page is a working dating guide: era markers, plate location and component date codes. The general dating guide covers the component-code route.
Where the serial number lives
- Same route as other reed organs: maker labels on the sound board or rear frame; numbers stamped or stencilled.
Era markers
| Era | Years | What it means on the instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Reed-organ era | 1854–1900s | World-scale production in the 1870s |
| Piano era | 1900s–today | Piano maker; Burgett/PianoDisc since 1996 |
Model catalogue
3 documented models — 2 with published production years (observed 2026-10-12). Years are catalogue-derived; models without published years are listed as placeholders.
| Model | Years | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason & Hamlin | 1854– | Company | by the early 1870s the largest reed-organ maker (about 500 workers, up to 200 instruments a week); piano maker from 1996 under Burgett/PianoDisc |
| Mason & Hamlin reed organs | 1854–1930 | Reed organ | reed organs (harmoniums) only within this site's scope; no electronic-organ line |
| Mason & Hamlin serial chart (honest no-data) | — | Note | serial/date information sits in books and museum collections, not in a public chart |
What it is worth
- Reed organs trade in the antique market; value is driven by cabinet condition and local restoration demand.
Frequently asked
Is my Mason & Hamlin organ or piano?
Check the mechanism: reed (pump) organs are pre-1900s mostly; the modern brand builds pianos.