My thanks to Mr. Ed Gaida who sent me a copy of the Foster & Co.
piano serial numbers.

The serial numbers started at 16000, in 1896.  I ran the numbers,
and things fell in place, also uncovering more questions.  Assuming
that the list is the actual number built starting with 16000, here is
a estimated total of Foster pianos built.

At the very least, it makes some very interesting reading.

year   serial   quant.

1896    16000    4400
1897?
1898    20400    1100
1899    21500    1500
1900    23000    2600
1901    25600    1900
1902    27500    1500
1903    29000    1000
1904    30000    1100
1905    31100     800
1906    31900     500
1907    32400     600
1908    33000     800
1909    33800     700
1910    34500     600
1911    35100     900
1912    36000     600
1913*   36600     500
1914    37100     700
1915    37800    3200
1916*   41000    3000
1917    44000    3000
1918*   47000    2000
1919    49000    3000
1920*   52000    4600
1921    56600    1400
1922    58000    1000
1923    59000     700
1924    59700    1000
1925    60700     300
1926    61000     300
1927    61300     200
1928    61500     700
1929    62200     200
1930    62400     100
1931    62600     100
1932             NONE

1903, #29383 -- Very heavily carved, narrow regular upright, seemed
to be tuned at A-435 originally.  Mission oak, very pretty.  Scale
unknown.

1909, #33847 -- earliest example of Foster player-piano I have found.
Scale 25-30-33

1913, #36820  -- This is the year that the oval door, double leg Foster
player was built.  This explains why I had a hard time finding one.
With capped bridges, Norris button pedals, very fine workmanship.
Scale 25-30-33.  "Foster & Co." decal in old English letters on
fallboard.

1916, #41961 -- Plain case player, piano is mechanically same as 1913.
one piece bridges (no cap), still good workmanship.  Norris pedals.
Scale 25-30-33

1918, #48392 -- Change in plate casting around bass section, lag bolts
this year.  "Warranty" decal on inside top lid.  Change in Marshall
& Wendell and Franklin plate also (same casting).  The year that our
arranging piano was built.  One-piece bridges, Scale 25-30-33.  Norris
piano pedals.

1920, #55605  -- This is about the time that the nameplate casting
was changed.  The Foster & Co. script was changed and now had a little
picture of a bell cast into the nameplate that bore the words, "The
American Piano with the bell like tone."  The piano was cheapened, and
less than average workmanship in this era.  From this point on, two
tier Standards and single-valve three-tier Standards could be found.
Cheap plain piano pedals.

Marshall & Wendell went to a shorter piano this year, and a different
plate than the "universal" plate most of the American Co. pianos used,
including Foster, but retained the same scale count.  25-30-33

1920 seemed to be the last of the good years.  It is interesting to
note the production from 1920 to 1931.  Like many other piano makers,
the depression really took its toll.  Another factor could have been
overproduction in the earlier years,  and the cheapening of the Foster
in 1920.

These dates seem to go back before the factory at East Rochester was
built.  Can someone tell me exactly when it was built?  There was
something going on in 1905-1914, because production really dropped to
almost nothing.

It's possible that the very early pianos were built somewhere else,  or
maybe before Foster became part of the American company, if it existed
as a independent maker.  Maybe someone can shed some light on this.

American Piano Company also owned the East Rochester Iron Works, so it
is very probable the company cast their own plates and action brackets.
There was minor variations in the plate, and the same plate could be
found in most (but not all) of the American company uprights.

A most unusual example was a Kingston player-piano, sold under the
Wurlitzer name.  This piano was (at least the one I seen) built by the
American Piano Co.  There is no mistake here.  The nameplate was
different, but that is it.  Same scale, same plate casting.

There are also casting numbers on American Piano Company upright
plates.  I think is a casting date.  The numbers are found at the
bottom of the plate, in the bottom of the piano at the hitch pin around
note 34, and look something like this.

  Example from 1918 Foster:  4 18 4-24-1918 24

  Example from 1913 Foster:  15- 10 12 10-30-1912

I don't know what the 15- means.

  Example from 1916 Foster:  M 16 6  19   6-19-1916

I don't know what the "M" means either.

Foster owners, please send me your serial number and bottom plate
casting numbers.  Also any unusual features about your piano.  My
research is far from complete, but is a very good start.  Now if I
could just find a old trade article or sales brochure!

Best Regards
Andy Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls
http://www.bootheel.net/~tempola/