PRE-OWNED & RESTORED PIANOS
Some interesting facts about Steinway 1) In 1836 Heinrich Englehard Steinway built his first piano in the kitchen of his home in Seesen, Germany which is commonly reffered to as the "Kitchen" piano. The piano is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2) Heinrich would build 482 pianos over the next decade. 3) Heinrich Engelhard Steinway and his family would emigrate to the United States in 1850. 4) On March 5, 1853, Steinway & Sons was founded, setting up shop on Varrick Street on the West Side of Manhattan, manufacturing square grand pianos. 5) In 1853, the family decided to Americanize their name to "Steinway" 6. In 1853, the family decided to Americanize their name to "Steinway" The company's first piano, serial no. 483, was sold to a New York family named Griswold for $500. It is now displayed at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. 7. By 1854, just a year after founding the company, Steinway & Sons was making 2 pianos a week, and sold 74 pianos for the year. 8. By 1856, Steinway & Sons sales rose to 208 pianos for the year, from 74 just 2 years before in 1854. 9. In 1857, a piano was created with a lavishly carved case and legs. This piano, Serial #1225, is believed to be the first ever Steinway Art Case piano. 10. On December 20, 1859, Patent #26532 was granted to Henry Steinway Jr. for the Overstung Plate, where by the longer bass strings were drawn over sections of other strings. 11. By 1859, Steinway's least expensive piano sold for $275. 12. In 1863, Henry Steinway became an American Citizen. 13. Steinway & Sons opened the first Steinway Hall on 14th Street in 1866, which had an auditorium of 2,000 seats. 14. 1867, William Steinway estimated that 90% of American Piano output was square pianos, 5% were uprights and 5% were grand pianos, he also characterized that grand sales were "scarce as angels' visits." 15. In 1867, Steinway became the first American manufacturer to receive the "Grand Gold Medal of Honor" at the Paris piano exhibition. 16. In 1871, William purchased the Steinway Mansion. The Mansion overlooking Bowery Bay on Long Island Sound was owned by Benjamin T. Pike Jr. who owned an optical supply business. He sold the estate to William for $127,500. 17. The Steinway Mansion was recently put up for sale for $3.5 million in 2011. 18. In 1871 Henry Englehard Steinway, founder of Steinway & Sons, died at 74 years of age. 19. In 1871, Steinway sold 2,553 pianos, and was making pianos at a rate of 1 piano per hour, or 10 pianos per day. 20. William Steinway engaged the great Russian pianist Anton Rubinstein to play Steinway pianos during an American concert tour in 1872, with 215 concerts in 239 days. It was a triumph for both Rubinstein and Steinway. 21. In 1875 Steinway Hall opened in London. 22. 1877 Oberlin College Conservatory, Oberlin, OH, becomes the first All-Steinway School. 23. 1881, William Steinway, Son of Henry, became a millionaire, one of 400 in New York. 24. 1881, Steinway manufactured more than 2,600 pianos. 25. 1883 Alma Tadema Piano Model D #54538, The piano was sent to London in 1884 for inlay and paintings by noted Victorian Artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema for Henry Marquand, Art Collector and 2nd President of the New York Metropolitian Museum of Art. Painting "Wandering Minstrels" above the keyboard. 9 Muses on the lid. Returned to NY City in 1887, then auctioned for $8,000 in 1903. Then moved to the Marin Beck Theater in Manhattan. In 1980 the Alma Tadema was sold at an auction for $360,000. Piano was then on loan to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 26. 1884, Model D, #51,257 was completed in New York City on January 31, 1894. It is the very first modern Steinway Concert Grand Piano. Its salient features were developed by C.F. Theodore Steinway. 27. 1888-Theodore Steinway enters into agreement with G. Daimler of Mercedes to manufacture parts for the American Mercedes Automobile and the engines as well as marine engines. This arrangement lasted at least until 1906. 28. 1888-The last time a Square Grand was advertised. 29. 1890-Steinway Hall on 14th Street Closed in anticipation of Carnegie Hall. 30. 1891-Carnegie Hall opens. The Carnegie Music Hall seated 3,000 with standing room for another 1,000, the old Steinway Hall seated only 2,500. 31. 1892-Paderewski signed on for a second tour for 60 concerts, which was a phenomenal success for Steinway & Sons as well. 32. 1892-December 23, Christmas season, "Biggest retail trade ever done, sold 30 old and new pianos in one day." as per William. 33. 1897-Yale University School of Music, New Haven CT, becomes an All-Steinway School. 34. In 1900 the retail price of a Steinway Model D was $1,400 35. 1902 -The 100,000th Steinway Piano was built and it was built by the "Art Piano case Department" for President Theodore Roosevelt to go in the East Room of the White House. It was gilded with gold leaf, and on the lid a painting entitled "America Receiving the Nine Muses" depicting 10 women in pink, mauve, and gray centennial revival style ball gowns against a vivid green background. American Eagles carved on the legs, valued at $7,500 (a D sold for $1600) and was given to the nation in 1903. The piano was donated to the Smithsonian when a new Steinway replaced it during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today the historic Gold Steinway stands in the First Ladies Hall of the National Museum of American History. 36. 1902-The model "O" designed by Henry Ziegler was introduced. This was the introduction of lower prices for smaller pianos some grand pianos were cut in price by as much as a third. Prices of upright pianos were also cut with the introduction of the "Vertegrand". 37. 1904-model "K" was available for $500. 38. 1911-Steinway & Sons sold more than 6,000 pianos 39. 1912 - Model M, 5'6", designed by Henry Ziegler was introduced, sold for $750 and 900 of these models were sold. 40. 1922 - Model L introduced, an idea of Henry Ziegler, Vice President, and Frederick Steinway. The Model L replaced the Model O and sold for $1,575. 41. 1923 - It was estimated that 56% of the 360,000 pianos produced in America were players. 42. 1924-The Julliard School, New York, NY becomes an All-Steinway School. 43. 1925-Steinway had 2,300 workers. 44. In 1925, Steinway Hall opened to its current location on West 57th Street. Steinway Pianos Are Built To A Standard And Not To A Price | 
