OUR ANCESTRY

Steinway & Sons
Henry Engelhard Steinway, a German immigrant, founded Steinway & Sons in a Manhattan loft in 1853. Henry, a master cabinetmaker, built his first piano in the kitchen of his Seesen, Germany home. Over the next forty years Henry and his four sons developed the modern piano, gaining national recognition for their revolutionary designs and superior workmanship. In 1867 the company received international recognition at the Paris Exhibition, where it was awarded the prestigious “Grand Gold Medal of Honor” for excellence in manufacturing and engineering. It was the first time an American Company had ever received this award.

In 1866, Steinway & Sons opened Steinway Hall, which quickly became New York City’s artistic and cultural center. During the 1870’s the Steinways moved the Manhattan plant to the Astoria section of Queens, building an entire community around the factory, including housing, a post office, a library and a kindergarten. A London showroom was established in 1875 and, in 1880, the family opened both a second factory and a retail operation in Hamburg, Germany.

Today, Steinway & Sons continues to handcraft the highest quality pianos. For over a century the Steinway concert grand has been the piano of choice for the world’s greatest pianists. Over 98% of the concert piano performances worldwide continue to be performed on Steinway grand pianos.

The same entrepreneurial spirit exhibited by its founder was evident again in 1992 at Steinway & Sons. Steinway & Sons designed a completely new line of pianos under the Boston name. Not since the turn of the century had new scale designs been developed for the piano. These instruments, which are manufactured exclusively for the company, compete in the mid-priced market. In 2001, as an extension of its Boston line, the company introduced a third line of acoustic pianos under the brand name Essex. These pianos have broadened the company’s product offering to include pianos for every level of musical ability and budget.

BACK