List of piano manufacturers
Appearance
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2012) |
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.
Active brands or companies
Company | Place | Years active | Acquired by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Altenburg[1] | Germany | 1847–present[update] | Altenburgs immigrated to New York City in 1855 and opened a piano factory. Afterwards they moved to Elizabeth. | |
Artmann[2] | Shanghai, China | 1998–present[update] | ||
August Förster[3] | Löbau, Germany | 1859–present[update] | ||
Baldwin[4] | Cincinnati, OH, USA | 1890–present[update] | Gibson Guitar Corporation | |
Bechstein[5] | Berlin and Seifhennersdorf, Germany | 1853–present[update] | Was owned by Baldwin in 1963. Also manufactured Zimmermann brand after 1992 | |
Belarus[6] | Belarus | 1935–present[update] | Only upright pianos of his own brand. Also manufactures brands Sängler & Sohne, Schubert and Wieler. | |
Blüthner[7] | Leipzig, Germany | 1853–present[update] | ||
Borgato[8] | Venice, Italy | 1991–present[update] | Handcrafted concert grand pianos, | |
Bösendorfer[9] | Vienna, Austria | 1828–present[update] | Yamaha | Acquired in 2007 |
Brodmann[10] | Vienna and Hong Kong | 2004-present[update] | Made by Parsons Music Hong Kong[11] | |
Broadwood and Sons[12] | London, UK | 1774–present[update] | Upright and antique grand pianos. | |
Cavendish Pianos[13] | Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire | 2012–present[update] | ||
Colmann[14][15] | Saint-Dizier, France | 2004–present[update] | ||
Edelweiss Pianos[16] | Cambridge, UK | 1975–present[update] | Upright and grand pianos. | |
Estonia[17] | Estonia | 1893–present[update] | ||
Fandrich & Sons[18] | Stanwood, WA, USA | 1992–present[update] | ||
Fazioli[19] | Sacile, PN, Italy | 1978–present[update] | ||
Feurich[20] | Vienna, Austria | 1851–present[update] | ||
Fritz Dobbert[21] | São Paulo, Brazil | 1950–present[update] | ||
Grotrian-Steinweg[22] | Braunschweig, Germany | 1835–present[update] | ||
Hailun[23] | China | –present[update] | ||
Henk Hupkes[24] | Rotterdam, The Netherlands | 2007–present[update] | Build in cooperation with Thüringer Pianoforte, Eisenberg, Germany | |
Kawai[25] | Hamamatsu, Japan | 1930–present[update] | Also owns the Shigeru Kawai brand | |
Klavins[26] | Vác, Hungary | 2017–present[update] | ||
Maene[27] | Ruiselede, Belgium | 1938–present[update] | Founded by Parents Albert Maene-Doutreloigne | |
Mason & Hamlin[28] | Boston, USA | 1854–present[update] | 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. |
Neupert[29] | Hallstadt bei Bamberg, Germany | 1868–present[update] | ||
Stephen Paulello[30] | Villethierry, France | 1991–present[update] | ||
Pearl River[31] | Guangzhou, China | 1956–present[update] | ||
Perzina[32] | Lenzen, Germany and Yantai, China | 1871–present[update] | Yantai | |
Petrof[33] | Hradec Králové, Czech Republic | 1864–present[update] | ||
Pfeiffer[34] | Stuttgart, Germany | 1862–present[update] | ||
Pleyel[35] | Paris | 1807–present[update] | ||
Phoenix[36] | Kent, United Kingdom | 2010–present[update] | ||
Rönisch[37] | Leipzig, Germany | 1897–present[update] | ||
Ravenscroft[38] | Scottsdale, AZ, USA | 2003–present[update] | ||
Rubenstein[39] | Los Angeles, USA | 2005–present[update] | ||
Samick[40] | Incheon, South Korea | 1958–present[update] | ||
Sauter[41] | Spaichingen, Germany | 1819–present[update] | ||
Tamagni[42] | Italy | 1950-present[update] | ||
Thürmer[43] | Bochum, Germany | 1834–present[update] | ||
Schimmel[44] | Germany | 1885–present[update] | ||
Schulze & Pollman[45] | Borgo Maggiore, San Marino | 1928–present[update] | ||
Seiler[46] | Kitzingen, Germany | 1849–present[update] | Samick | |
Sjuman Instruments[47] | Indonesia | 2015–present[update] | ||
Steingraeber & Söhne[48] | Bayreuth, Germany | 1852–present[update] | ||
Steinway & Sons[49] | New York, USA and Hamburg, Germany | 1853–present[update] | Pianos are also sold under the Boston and Essex brands | |
Stuart and Sons[50] | Newcastle, Australia | 1990–present[update] | ||
Suzuki[51] | Japan | 1953–present[update] | Digital grand and upright pianos | |
Walter Piano[52] | Elkhart, IN, USA | 1975–present[update] | Charles R. Walter pianos | |
Weber (New York)[53][54] | New York | 1852–present[update] | Young Chang | Albert Weber pianos |
Wilh. Steinberg[55] | Germany | 1877–present[update] | ||
Yamaha[56] | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan | 1887–present[update] | Acquired Bösendorfer in 2007. See also List of Yamaha products | |
Young Chang[57] | Seoul, South Korea | 1956–present[update] | Hyundai Development Company | Acquired in 2006 |
Venables and Son[58] | United Kingdom | 1981–present[update] |
Defunct brands or companies
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[59] | 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. | |
Allen Brook | London | |||
American Piano Company | East Rochester, NY, US | 1908–1941 | Aeolian Company | aka. Ampico |
Astin Weight | Salt Lake City | 1959–1999 | ||
Alexander Herrmann KG | Sangerhausen, Germany | 1803–1993 |
| |
Babcock | Boston | 1810 | ||
Barrett Lake | London, England | |||
Charles Albrecht | Philadelphia, PA and Long Island, NY | 1789–Mid 20th Century | Schultz & Sons Manufacturing Corp., New York | One of the earliest pianos made in America. The first known piano by Albrecht is located at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.[60] |
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. | |
Behr Brothers Piano Company | Kohler & Campbell | |||
Bell | Canada | |||
Bentley Piano Company | ||||
Brinkerhoff | ||||
Beulhoff | ||||
Bohemia Piano | ||||
Boisselot & Fils | France | 1831–1908 | The brand became Boisselot Fils & Co. in 1847, after the passing of his father Jean-Louis Boisselot. | |
Brødrene Hals | Oslo | 1847–1925 | ||
Brinsmead | London | 1835–1921 | ||
C. Burlman & Co. | ||||
Bush & Gerts | Chicago, Il | 184-1942 | Bought by Haddorff Piano co. in 1942 | |
Cable and Sons | New York | 1852 | ||
Cable, Hobart M. | La Porte, IN, US | 1900–1960s | brand was purchased by American Sejung in the 1990s | |
Cable Company | Chicago | 1880 | ||
Camp & Company | New York City | 1879-1930 | Kohler & Campbell now Samick | |
Challen | London | 1804 | ||
Chappell Pianos | London | 1811–1980 | Kemble | |
Charles Stieff | Baltimore | 1852–1951 | c.often referred to as "The poor man's Steinway" | |
Chas. S. Norris | Boston | 1930 | c.||
Chernobieff | Lenoir City, TN, US | 2010 | Maker of Mammoth Vertical Concert Grand piano | |
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 | ||
Ellington Piano | Division of Baldwin Piano Co. | ??-1930 | Sold “Manualo” and “Modello” models | Upright and grand pianos. |
Emerson Piano Company | Boston | |||
Estey Piano Corp | 1869 | |||
EUTERPE |
| |||
Fahr Albert | Zeitz, Germany | 1887–1950 | ||
Falcone[61] | Haverhill, MA, US | 1982–1993 | American Sejung Corp. | |
J.&C. Fischer | New York | 1840-(1940's sold to Aeolian Piano Co.) | ||
Francis Connor | New York | 1871 |
| |
Gabler | New York | 1851 | ||
Gaveau | Paris | 1847 | ||
Generalmusic | Italy and Bensenville, IL, US | |||
Glenz (Josef) | Breslau | |||
Timothy Gilbert | Boston | 1827 | ||
Goetzmann | New York | |||
Grinnell | Detroit, Michigan | 1902–1960 | Samick | Sold under names Lenard, Clayton, Holly, Uxbridge and Playtona. Address: 1515 Woodward Ave. |
Gulbransen | Chicago, Il | 1904-1969 | ||
Gunther [62] | Brussels | 1845–1960 |
| |
Haddorf Piano Company | Rockford, Illinois | 1902–1960 | Maker of Steinbach, Clarendon & Dreher, Bush & Gerts | |
Haines Brothers | New York | 1851 | ||
Hallet, Davis & Co | Boston | 1843 | Hallet, Davis, & Co. is now owned by North American Music, Inc. and has been in production since the original Hallet, Davis & Company was formed in Boston in 1843 by George H. Davis, Russell Hallet, and other partners. It was originally Brown and Hallet in 1835. Hallet & Davis was reconstituted by Davis with another Hallet (Benjamin Franklin Hallet) in Boston in the 1850s.[63] The W. W. Kimball Company acquired Hallet & Davis in the early 1900s. In 1905, the Conway Company, a holding company, acquired the Hallet & Davis name from Kimball. In 1927, Conway disposed of its piano business.[64] In the mid-twentieth century, the Hallet & Davis name, as well as many other U.S. piano brands, were consolidated under the Aeolian-American Corp., which declared bankruptcy in 1985. | Known as Brown and Hallet from 1835 to 1843, Hallet, Davis, & Co. is the oldest United States Piano Name still in production. Continuing the Hallet & Davis brand, and appropriate to its Boston association, there was a trademark submission in 1998 for "HALLET, DAVIS & CO. BOSTON" as was applied for by North American Music, Inc., a piano distributor.[65] The application was "Refused/Dismissed or Invalidated" by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO).[66] The very next year, in 1999, North American Music applied again for a Hallet & Davis trademark, but this time simply as "HALLET, DAVIS & CO." (removing "BOSTON"), which was ultimately granted in 2001 by the USPTO.[67] The Pearl River Piano Group of China (which manufactures HD&C pianos as well as Essex Pianos for Steinway & Sons), puts "Boston" under the HD&C and thus providing the continuity of Lineage to its roots in Boston, MA. |
Hansmann | ||||
Hardman Peck | New York | 1842 | ||
Heichele, Johann | Ljubljana, Trieste | 1790–1813 | ||
Heintzman & Co. | Toronto | 1866 | ||
Herbert | Milwaukee, WI US | |||
Hobart M. Cable | La Porte, Indiana, US | 1900 | American Sejung Corp. | |
Hornung & Møller | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1827–1972 | ||
Hupfield | 1880 |
| ||
Irmler | Leipzig and Poland |
| ||
Søren Jensen | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1893–1921 | ||
J. Erbe Eisenach | Germany | 1881 | ||
J. W. Jenkins | St. Louis Missouri | 1910-1964 | Sold under Elburn brand | |
J. Strauss & Son | 1925 | |||
Julius Bauer & Co | Chicago | |||
Kemble | 1911-2009 | Yamaha | ||
Kimball | Chicago | 1857-1996 | see Kimball International | |
Kirschner | New York | |||
Knabe | Baltimore | 1837 | American Piano Company | Acquired in 1908 |
Knight, Ltd. | 1935 | |||
Kohler & Campbell[68] | New York | 1896 | Samick | |
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[53] | Quebec | Willis & Co. | Acquired in 1907 | |
Lester Piano Company[69] | 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 |
| |
M. Schulz Piano Co. | Chicago | 1869–1930s | Company manufactured and sold pianos under the names of M. Schulz, Walworth, Bradford, Irving, and Maynard, and Aria Divina. They were also sold under the names Brinkerhoff (from teens until about 1950s) and Schriver & Sons. | |
Marshall & Wendell | New York City | 1875-1953 | ||
Mason & Risch | Ontario | |||
Mathushek | New York | 1852–1879 | New Haven 1866 | |
Mehlin & Sons | New York | 1853–1960 | ||
Melville Clark company | DeKalb | Purchased by Baldwin in 1919 | ||
Mendelssohn | Canada | |||
Moore and Moore | London | |||
Muir, Wood and Company[70] | 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 | ||
P. A. Starck | Chicago, Illinois | 1891-1965 | ||
Petzold | Paris | 1806 | ||
Prate | Canada | |||
Pirsson | New York | 1829 |
| |
QRS | 1900 | |||
Quidoz | Quebec |
| ||
Rud. Ibach Sohn | Düsseldorf, Germany | 1794–2007 | ||
Rainer | Canada | |||
Reed & Sons Chicago, Il. USA | 1842 |
| ||
Manuel Samaniego[citation needed] | Madrid | 1800s–1892 | c.||
San Francisco Piano Co. | ||||
Adam Schaaf[71] | Chicago | 1873–1930s | also sold as Clarion and Orpheus | |
Schiedmayer | 1853 | |||
Schiller Piano Company[72] | Oregon, Illinois | 1890–1936 | Cable Company | |
Scholze | ||||
Schweighofer | 1792–1938 | |||
Sears, Roebuck & Company[73] | Chicago | 1900–1930 | c.Also manufactured/sold brands Beckwith, American Home, Maywood, Beverley, and Caldwell | |
Sezemsky | Chicago | 1886–1901 | ||
Sherlock-Manning | Ontario | |||
Sherman Clay | San Francisco | |||
Shomacker | Philadelphia | 1840s | c.||
Shondorff | Woodbridge, CT | 1850-1938 | Acquired by National Piano Manufacturing Company Name used until 1960's | |
Shoninger& Son | New York | |||
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. | |
Steinbach & Dreher | Rockford, Illinois | 1902–1960 | Actually made by Haddorff Piano company. | |
Steger & Sons | Chicago,Illinois and Steger, Illinois | 1879–1959 | "Steger & Sons is one of the few American manufacturers to survive the Great Depression without being absorbed into a larger conglomerate. "[74] | |
Sterling Piano Company | Derby, CT, US | 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 | Chicago | 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 | 1802 | |||
Strich & Zeidler[75][76] | New York City | 1889–1930s | Also manufactured Homer brand | |
Stuyvesant | New York |
| ||
Thos Goggan & Brothers | Texas | |||
Th. Mann & Co. | Bielefeld, Germany | 1836 – 1942 | c.
| |
Uebel & Lechleiter | Heilbronn, Germany | 1872–1987 | ||
United Piano Makers | New York | 1800s | c.
| |
Waldberg | Berlin | 1890 | c.||
George Weber & son, John | Chicago | 1917 | ||
Weber (Ontario)[53] | Kingston, ON, Canada | 1862 | Lesage Piano Company | |
Whaley-Royce | Toronto | [1] | ||
Whelpdale, Maxwell & Codd | 1876 | |||
George Wilkinson | London | 1811 | ||
R. S. Williams & Sons[77] | Toronto and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | 1856 | ceased production in 1931 | Manufactured mandolins, banjos, melodeons, organs and pianos |
Willis & Company Ltd.[78] | 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[79] | 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 | Also sold under the names Apollo, De Kalb, Julius Bauer, Farney, Kingston, Kurtzman, Merrium. Schaff Bros. and Underwood.
|
Zimmermann | Seifhennersdorf, Germany | 1884–2011 | Bechstein Pianoforte Fabrik AG | Acquired in 1992 |
References
- ^ Altenburg Piano House Website
- ^ Artmann website
- ^ August Forster website
- ^ Baldwin website
- ^ Bechstein website
- ^ The Virtual Pianoshop. "Piano: Belarus". Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ Blüthner website
- ^ Borgato website
- ^ Bösendorfer website
- ^ "Brodmann website". Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ "Parsons Music website". Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ Broadwood and Sons website
- ^ Cavendish Pianos website
- ^ Colmann Pianos website
- ^ Colmann Pianos facebook
- ^ Edelweiss Pianos website
- ^ Estonia website
- ^ Fandrich & Sons website
- ^ Fazioli website
- ^ Feurich website
- ^ Fritz Dobbert website
- ^ Grotrian-Steinweg website
- ^ Hailun website
- ^ Fenix Music Factory website, owner of Hens Hupkes piano
- ^ Kawai website
- ^ Klavins website
- ^ Maene website
- ^ Mason & Hamlin
- ^ Neupert website
- ^ Stephen Paulello website
- ^ Pearl River website
- ^ Perzina website
- ^ Petrof website
- ^ Pfeiffer website
- ^ Pleyel website
- ^ Phoenix Pianos website
- ^ Rönisch website
- ^ Ravenscroft website
- ^ Rubenstein website
- ^ Samick website
- ^ Sauter website
- ^ Tamagni website
- ^ Thürmer website
- ^ website
- ^ Schulze & Pollman website
- ^ Seiler website
- ^ Sjuman Instruments website
- ^ History of the Manufacturers Steingraeber & Söhne (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-05, retrieved 2012-12-04
- ^ Steinway and Sons website
- ^ Stuart and Sons piano website
- ^ Suzuki Digital pianos website
- ^ Walter Piano website
- ^ a b c "Antique Piano Shop, Weber".
- ^ Weber pianos website
- ^ Wilh. Steinberg website
- ^ Yamaha Pianos website
- ^ Young Chang Piano America website
- ^ Venables & Son website
- ^ "Antique Piano Shop, McPhail".
- ^ Bob Pierce, Larry Ashley Pierce Piano Atlas, 10th Edition, September 26, 1996
- ^ "Falcone, The Handmade American Piano".
- ^ "Antique Piano Shop, Gunther".
- ^ Novak., Clinkscale, Martha (1993–1999). Makers of the piano. Oxford [England]: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198163231. OCLC 27430492.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Dolge, Alfred (1913). Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. 2. Covina, CA: Covina Publishing Company. p. 107. ISBN 1527808947.
- ^ "- North American Music". namusic.com. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
- ^ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". tsdr.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
- ^ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". tsdr.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
- ^ Kohler & Campbell website
- ^ "Lester Piano Company". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06.
- ^ Palmieri, Robert (2003). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. New York City, NY, USA: Taylor & Francis. p. 243.
- ^ "Antique Piano Shop, Adam Schaaf".
- ^ Novak, Alice (29 November 2012), NRHP Nomination: Oregon Commercial Historic District (PDF), Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015
- ^ The Antique Piano Shop. "Sears, Roebuck & Company". Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ "Steger & Sons". antiquepianoshop.com.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "R.S. Williams & Sons". The Canadian Encyclopedia, by Helmut Kallmann, Carl Morey, and Florence Hayes, February 7, 2006
- ^ "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.