I have recently purchased an old wood bassoon for my wife.  It is not
anything spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, but I am
curious about its history.  It is a Kohlert Winnenden and I have the
serial number.  However, I have not been able to find anything that
talks about Kohlert bassoon serial numbers (I have found Kohlert
serial number lists for saxaphones and other instruments, but not
bassons).  I would appreciate any help, even if that help is to an
offline serial number list.  In case it were to make any difference,
the serial number is 57680.  If you find this instrument listed on
ebay, you can ignore that as a reference, as that is where I purchased
it:)

Thanks!

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 20 Oct 2005 12:27 PDT

Dear tnsdan,

It is hard, or almost impossible to find exact information relating to
Kohlert serial numbers since no Kohlert serial number charts exist.
One thing, however, is for sure: Since it is marked "Kohlert
Winnenden", it is a post-WWII instrument. Before the war, the Kohlert
factory was located in Graslitz in the German-speaking part of
Czechoslovakia, Winnenden in West Germany became the new home of the
Kohlert company in 1948.
Before the war, instruments were consecutively numbered, and the
numbers did not refer to the type or model of the respective
instruments. It is not unlikely that this custom was maintained when
post-war production began in Winnenden. However, post-war serial
numbers started at zero again, the numbering from the Graslitz factory
was not continued.
The serial numbers from 55000 to 60999 are supposed to belong to the
year 1958, so that is most likely the year of manufacture of your
bassoon.
Apart from this, there is not much information available, I'm afraid.

Regards,
Scriptor

http://www.saxpics.com/kohlert/serials.htm
http://idrs.colorado.edu/Publications/DR/DR13.1/DR13.1.Lein.Kohlert.html
http://www.saxwelt.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=240&meid=234