List of piano manufacturers
This is a partial list of piano manufacturers. Most piano professionals have access to detailed information about these brands using a Piano Atlas to reference serial numbers, which are used to determine a piano's age using the year a piano was built. This information is often used in piano appraisals.
Company | Place | Years active | Acquired by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
A. B. Chase | Ohio | 1875 | Aeolian-American Corp until Aeolian went out of business. | Since 2001 the A.B Chase name has been used by Wrightwood Enterprises Inc. on pianos made by the Dongbei Piano Co. in China. |
A. M. McPhail[1] | Boston, MA | 1837- 1950 | c.||
A. Mittag | Berlin | 1800 | ||
Aeolian Company | New York City | 1868-1985 | Merged with Ampico in 1932. Ampico rebranded as Aeolian in 1941. | |
Charles Albrecht | Philadelphia, PA and Long Island, NY | 1789-present | Acquired by Schultz & Sons Manufacturing Corp., New York | Manufactured in Long Island from 1993-present. One of the earliest pianos made in America. The first known piano by Albrecht is located at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.[2] |
Allen Brook | London | |||
American Piano Company | East Rochester, NY, US | 1908-1941 | Aeolian Company | aka. Ampico |
Artmann | Shanghai, China | 1998-present | ||
Astin Weight | Salt Lake City | 1959-1999 | ||
Alexander Herrmann KG | Sangerhausen, Germany | 1803-1993 | ||
Babcock | Boston | 1810 | ||
Baldwin | Cincinnati, OH, US | 1890-2001 | Gibson Guitar Corporation | |
Christian Baumann | Zweibrücken, Germany | 1740-1816 | ||
Baumgardt Piano | Stockholm, Sweden | 1859 | ||
Baus Piano Company | New York City | 1895-1929 | Jacob Doll Piano Company | Factories located at Southern Blvd. and Trinity Ave. They built a full line of upright pianos, player pianos, and grand pianos. It was acquired circa 1910; went out of business in the Great Depression |
Beale Piano | Sydney | 1893-1975 | ||
Becker Brothers | New York | 1892-1940 | They Also built pianos under the Bennington name, and player pianos under the Mellotone and Playernola name as well. | |
Bechstein Pianoforte Fabrik AG | Berlin and Seifhennersdorf, Germany | 1853-present | Was owned by Baldwin in 1963. Also manufactured Zimmermann brand after 1992 | |
Behr Brothers Piano Company | Kohler & Campbell | |||
Belarus[3] | Belarus | 1935-present | Also manufactures brands Sängler & Sohne, Schubert and Wieler | |
Bell | Canada | |||
Bentley Piano Company | ||||
Beulhoff | ||||
Blüthner | 1853 | |||
Bohemia Piano | ||||
Boisselot & Fils | France | 1831-1908 | The brand became Boisselot Fils & Co. in 1847, after the passing of his father Jean-Louis Boisselot. | |
Borgato | Venice, Italy | 1991-present | ||
Bösendorfer | Vienna, Austria | 1828 | Yamaha | Acquired in 2007 |
Brødrene Hals | Oslo | 1847-1925 | ||
Brinsmead | London | 1835 | ||
Broadwood and Sons | London | 1774-present | ||
C. Burlman & Co. | ||||
Cable and Sons | New York | 1852 | ||
Cable, Hobart M. | La Porte, IN, US | 1900 | ||
Cable Company | Chicago | 1880 | ||
Cavendish Pianos | Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire | 2012–present | ||
Challen | London | 1804 | ||
Chappell Pianos | London | 1811 | ||
Charles R. Walter | Elkhart, IN, US | 1975 | ||
Charles Stieff | Baltimore | 1852-1951 | c.often referred to as "The poor man's Steinway" | |
Chas. S. Norris | Boston | 1930 | c.||
Chickering and Sons | Boston | 1823-1983 | American Piano Company | Acquired in 1908 |
Collard & Collard | London | |||
Cunningham Piano Company | Philadelphia | 1891 | ||
Currier Piano Co. | Boston and Marion, NC, US | 1823, 1969 | Acquisition details | |
Clementi | ||||
Danemann | London | 1893 | ||
Decker Brothers | New York | 1862 | ||
Eastman | ||||
Edmund | British Columbia | |||
Érard | Paris | 1777 | ||
Estey Piano Corp | 1869 | |||
Estonia Piano Factory | Estonia | 1893-present | ||
EUTERPE | ||||
Fahr Albert | Zeitz, Germany | 1887-1950 | ||
Falcone[4] | Haverhill, MA, US | 1982-1993 | American Sejung Corp. | |
Fandrich & Sons | Stanwood, WA, US | 1989-present | c.||
Fazioli | Sacile, PN, Italy | 1978-present | ||
Feurich | 1851 | |||
J.C. Fischer | New York | 1840 | ||
August Förster | Löbau, Germany | 1859-present | ||
Francis Connor | New York | 1871 | ||
Fritz Dobbert | São Paulo, Brazil | 1950 | ||
Gabler | New York | 1851 | ||
Gaveau | Paris | 1847 | ||
Generalmusic | Italy and Bensenville, IL, US | |||
Glenz (Josef) | Breslau | |||
Timothy Gilbert | Boston | 1827 | ||
Goetzmann | New York | |||
Grotrian-Steinweg | Braunschweig, Germany | 1835-present | ||
Gunther [5] | Brussels | 1845 - 1960 | ||
Haines Brothers | New York | 1832 | ||
Hallet, Davis & Co | Boston | 1835 | ||
Hansmann | ||||
Hardman Peck | New York | 1842 | ||
Heichele, Johann | Ljubljana, Trieste | 1790-1813 | ||
Heintzman & Co. | Toronto | 1866 | ||
Henk Hupkes | Rotterdam, The Netherlands | 2007–present | Build in cooperation with Thüringer Pianoforte, Eisenberg, Germany | |
Hobart M. Cable | La Porte, Indiana, US | 1900 | American Sejung Corp. | |
Hornung & Møller | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1827 - 1972 | ||
Hupfield | 1880 | |||
Ibach | 1794 | |||
Irmler | Leipzig and Poland | |||
J. Erbe Eisenach | Germany | 1881 | ||
J. Strauss & Son | 1925 | |||
Kawai | Hamamatsu, Japan | 1930-present | Also owns the Shigeru Kawai brand | |
Kemble | 1911 | |||
Kimball | Chicago | 1857 | see Kimball International | |
Kirschner | New York | |||
David Klavins | Bonn, Germany | 2010 | ||
Knabe | Baltimore | 1837 | American Piano Company | Acquired in 1908 |
Knight, Ltd. | 1935 | |||
Kohler & Campbell | New York | 1896 | ||
Krakauer Bros | New York | 1869 | ||
Kranich & Bach | 1864 | |||
Kurtzmann | ||||
Albert W. Ladd & Company | Boston | 1838 | ||
Lauter Piano Co. | Newark, NJ, US | 1862-1930 | ||
Leipziger Pianofortefabrik | 1835 | |||
Lesage Piano Company[6] | Quebec | Willis & Co. | Acquired in 1907 | |
Lester Piano Company[7] | Lester, PA, US | 1888-1960 | Also manufactured brands Channing, Alden, Bellaire, Schubert and Leonard | |
Lindeman & Sons | New York | 1836 | ||
Ludwig & Company | St. Louis, MO, US | 1895 | ||
Maene | Ruiselede, Belgium | 1938-present | Founded by Parents Albert Maene-Doutreloigne | |
Mammoth Piano | US | 2010 | ||
Mason & Hamlin | Boston | 1854-present | Part owned by The Cable Company (from 1904-1924). Acquired by American Piano Company (1924), Aeolian (c. 1929), Aeolian-American (1932), (Various owners from 1940s-1980s), Sohmer & Co. (1985), and Burgett, Inc. (1996) | This brand has changed hands and factories many times in its history. See main article. |
Mason & Risch | Ontario | |||
Mathushek | New York | 1852-1879 | New Haven 1866 | |
Mehlin & Sons | New York | 1853-1960 | Mehlin Piano Co. until 1889 when the & Sons was added. | |
Mendelssohn | Canada | |||
Moore and Moore | London | |||
Muir, Wood and Company[8] | Edinburgh, Scotland | 1798-1818 | Wood, Small and Company | Wood, Small and Company was formed at John Muir's Death in 1818 |
Murdoch, McKillop & Co | Edinburgh, Scotland | |||
Joseph Newman | Baltimore | 1829 | ||
Newman & Bros. | Baltimore | 1842 | ||
Nordheimer | Canada | |||
Obermann & Sohn | ||||
Overs | Sydney, Australia | |||
Pape | Paris | 1817 | ||
Stephen Paulello | Villethierry, France | present | ||
Pearl River Piano Group | Guangzhou, China | 1956-present | ||
Perzina | 1871 | |||
Petrof | Hradec Králové, Czech Republic | 1864-present | ||
Petzold | Paris | 1806 | ||
Pfeiffer | Stuttgart, Germany | 1862 | ||
Prate | Canada | |||
Pirsson | New York | 1829 | ||
Pleyel | Paris | 1807 | ||
QRS | 1900 | |||
Quidoz | Quebec | |||
Rainer | Canada | |||
Reed & Sons | 1842 | |||
Rubenstein | 2005-present | |||
Manuel Samaniego | Madrid | 1800s-1892 | c.||
Samick | Incheon, South Korea | 1958-present | ||
San Francisco Piano Co. | ||||
Sauter[9][10] | 1819-present | |||
Adam Schaaf[11] | Chicago | 1873-1930's | ||
Schiedmayer | 1853 | |||
Schiller Piano Company[12] | Oregon, Illinois | 1890-1936 | Cable Company | |
Schimmel | Germany | 1885-present | ||
Scholze | ||||
Schultz & Sons | Brooklyn, NY and Long Island, NY | 1948-present | In Brooklyn 1948-1973. In Long Island 1974-present.
Schultz & Sons has an exclusive arrangement with several manufacturers to make pianos that are then modified and enhanced in the Schultz & Sons factory. Schultz & Sons has applied for patents on its unique innovations in Action, Scale, and Soundboard design. Schultz & Sons also controls the Charles Albrecht name. They produce Grands, Consoles, and Uprights. In addition to the Schultz & Sons serial number, pianos have the original manufacturers serial number.[2] Pianos with the following second serial numbers were originally made by: Kawai starting with 1955160 Sohmer starting with 244540 Nakamichi starting with 057493 Kohler & Campbell starting with 798777 [2] | |
Schulze & Pollman | ||||
Schweighofer | 1792-1938 | |||
Sears, Roebuck & Company[13] | Chicago | 1900-1930 | c.Also manufactured/sold brands Beckwith, American Home, Maywood, Beverley, and Caldwell | |
Seiler | 1849 | Samick | ||
Sezemsky | Chicago, United States | 1886-1901 | ||
Sherlock-Manning | Ontario | |||
Sherman Clay | San Francisco | |||
Shomacker | Philadelphia | 1840s | c.||
Shondorff | New York | |||
Smith & Barnes | ||||
F.G. Smith | New York | 1866 | ||
Sohmer & Co. | New York | 1872 | ||
Starr Piano Company | Richmond, Indiana | 1872-1950 | Originally named the Trayser Piano Company, after one of its founders, George Trayser. They also produced a more affordable, yet exceptional quality, piano line, the "Richmond Piano Company", which was sold alongside theirs in showrooms. Also known for founding Gennett Records. | |
Steck | New York | 1857 | American Sejung Corp. | |
Steingraeber & Söhne[14] | Bayreuth, Germany | 1852-present | ||
Steinway & Sons | New York and Hamburg, Germany | 1853-present | ||
Sterling Piano Company | Derby, Connecticut | 1866-1967 | Founded in 1845 as The Sterling Organ Company by Charles A. Sterling, the company merged with the Winter Piano Company after the Great Depression. They also produced the cheaper, but reputable, Huntington Piano. | |
Story & Clark | Los Angeles | 1884 | ||
Straube Piano Company | Downers Grove, Illinois (1895–1904) Hammond, Indiana (1904–1940) Chicago Heights (1940–1942) Rockford, Illinois (1942–1949) |
1895–1949 | C.G. Conn (1942) | Manufactured Straube, Hammond, Gilmore, and Woodward; receiver's sale in 1934; bankruptcy in 1937 — remaining assets, including name and patents continued in 1937 in the newly formed Indiana corporation, Straube Pianos Inc. |
Streicher[10] | 1802 | |||
Strich & Zeidler[15][16] | New York City | 1889-1930s | Also manufactured Homer brand | |
Stuart and Sons | Newcastle, Australia | present | ||
Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation | Japan | 1953 | ||
Thürmer | 1834 | |||
Uebel & Lechleiter | Heilbronn, Germany | 1872-1987 | ||
United Piano Makers | New York | 1800s | c.||
Verdugo e Hijo | Quito, Ecuador | 1995-present | ||
Waldberg | Berlin | 1890 | c.||
Weber (New York)[6] | New York | 1852 | Young Chang | |
George Weber & son, John | Chicago | 1917 | ||
Weber (Ontario)[6] | Kingston, ON, Canada | 1862 | Lesage Piano Company | |
Whaley-Royce | Toronto | |||
Whelpdale, Maxwell & Codd | 1876 | |||
George Wilkinson | London | 1811 | ||
Wilh. Steinberg | Germany | 1877 | ||
Willis & Company Ltd.[17] | Montreal | 1889-1979 | Acquired Lesage Piano Company in 1907. Also manufactured Newcombe | |
Wolfframm Dresden | Dresden, Germany | 1872-1930s | Started out under brand name Apollo | |
Wornum | London | 1811 | ||
Wood, Small and Company[18] | Edinburgh, Scotland | 1818-1829 | Successive firms were Wood and Company, J. Muir Wood Company, and Small, Bruce and Company | Continued until Andrew Wood's Death in 1829 |
Wornum | London | 1811 | ||
Wurlitzer | Cincinnati, OH, US | 1856-1988 | Baldwin | |
Yamaha | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan | 1887-present | Acquired Bösendorfer in 2007. See also List of Yamaha products | |
Young Chang | Seoul, South Korea | 1956 | Hyundai Development Company | Acquired in 2006 |
Zimmermann | Seifhennersdorf, Germany | 1884-2011 | Bechstein Pianoforte Fabrik AG | Acquired in 1992 |
References
- ↑ "Antique Piano Shop, McPhail".
- 1 2 3 Bob Pierce, Larry Ashley Pierce Piano Atlas, 10th Edition, September 26, 1996
- ↑ The Virtual Pianoshop. "Piano: Belarus". Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ↑ "Falcone, The Handmade American Piano".
- ↑ "Antique Piano Shop, Gunther".
- 1 2 3 "Antique Piano Shop, Weber".
- ↑ "Lester Piano Company".
- ↑ Palmieri, Robert (2003). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. New York City, NY, USA: Taylor & Francis. p. 243.
- ↑ "HIstory of Sauter".
- 1 2 "Extended History of Sauter".
- ↑ "Antique Piano Shop, Adam Schaaf".
- ↑ Novak, Alice (29 November 2012), NRHP Nomination: Oregon Commercial Historic District (pdf), Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
- ↑ The Antique Piano Shop. "Sears, Roebuck & Company". Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ↑ History of the Manufacturers Steingraeber & Söhne (pdf)
- ↑ "Antique Piano Shop, Strich & Zeidler".
- ↑ Dolge, Alfred (1913). Pianos and Their Makers: Development of the piano industry in America Since the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, 1876; Volume II. Covina Publishing Company.
- ↑ "The Canadian Encyclopedia, Willis & Company Ltd.". Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ↑ Palmieri, Robert (2003). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. New York City, NY, USA: Taylor & Francis. p. 435.