Alfred Arnold of Carlsfeld — the “AA” on the bellow frame of a hundred thousand tango bandoneons — is the one bandoneon maker whose production numbers can be dated. Six-digit serials (100,140–112,625) fall in 1931–1941, and many instruments also carry a date stamp on the mounting base. Numbers below that block, and the stamped numbers on outer cases added by South American importers, cannot be dated — and are often forged. Premier was the same factory, the same numbering.
The record makes room for uncertainty when a precise year is unavailable.
Factory and production era appear alongside the date when supported by a source.
See the source behind a match and what still needs to be confirmed.
The archive currently covers 1 series and 1 dating ranges from 1931 to 1941, compiled from published maker records and reference charts. Coverage grows as new tables are verified.
The exact spot varies by era and instrument type — the serial number guide walks through the common locations.
Recheck the characters exactly as marked, including any letters and leading zeros. Letter-prefixed numbers often belong to student or non-domestic lines that cannot be dated from the number. Some production periods may simply not be covered yet.