Jennifer, in my 1924 Wurlitzer catalog, there are pictures and descriptions of pedal harps with 43 strings (one), 45 strings (three), 46 strings (two) and 47 strings (two).. If you count the number of strings on your harp, that should narrow the identification down somewhat.Also, the two 47 string models would be offered with a “true Gothic” column, or a “Colonial” column. Of the three 45-string models, all veneered in curly maple and of “Grecian” column design, the highest note is “F” for two of the models, and “G” for the other one. The 46-string harps seem quite similar but one has more elaborate carving, and was more expensive by $200.

An Orchestral Grand ought to be a 47 string instrument. C on the bottom to G on top. I own two, one of which has a straight soundboard and the other(pictured on my web site, http://www.swansonharp.com) an extended board. The extended board harp has discs on the top G, while the straight board version does not.

The Wurlitzer serial numbers have been lost, which is a tragedy. Without that list, we don’t know when each of the harps was built. But we also don’t know how many harps they made each year, what their total output was, and how many of each model was made.

Your serial number of 747 is on the low end. The lowest numbers I have seen are in the 700 range, and the highest around 1200. So yours was probably built around 1910 to 1912.

There was a mechanical technician at the Wurlitzer factory for much of its history who apparently was responsible for assembling the actions and also for action repairs. His name was Emil Holub, and he very frequently signed his name to the back side of the front action plate. Occasionally he also put a date. It’s a tragedy that he didn’t date them each time he signed his name. The funniest signing of his name that I saw said: Emil Holub, action man.

The number stamped on the wood parts of the instrument was to identify all of the parts for one instrument during the manufacturing process. The action was the last thing fitted to the instrument and it had a different serial number. For both Lyon & Healy through most of the 20th century and Wurlitzer, the body number and the action number were usually close but not the same.