This is the story of how the steinway piano came to be the instrument of choice for the worlds greatest pianists. The almatadema grand piano was designed by sir lawrence almatadema and received great public acclaim when it was exhibited in london. Steinways rebuilt steinway upright pianos steinway grand. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. See an illustrated crosssection of a steinway grand piano and a crosssection of a steinway piano action, both from tuning and allied arts, written by william braid white excerpt. Williams steinway, one of the sons of steinweg, had taken the company to a new level. On steinway grand pianos the serial number can be found on the cast iron plate between the tuning pins above the keyboard.
Steinway serial numbers represent the approximate ending serial number for the year of production for new york and hamburg pianos. A massive factory was established on park avenue where the production of the company rose from under 500 pianos per year to close to 2000. If youre interested in the history of manufacturing even though of a. The making of a steinway piano is a timehonored process involving the hands of many skilled craftspeople over the course of almost a full year. A brilliant book giving the history of the steinway piano. Lieberman, is considered to be the ultimate treatise on the history of the steinway piano at m.
A piano restored by the steinway restoration center receives the same 5year warranty as a new steinway piano. Excellently and diligently written, this little book tells the story of one steinway concert grand piano from conception to adolescence. Over 300 craftspeople work in the new york factory. See an illustrated crosssection of a steinway grand piano and a crosssection of a steinway piano action, both from tuning and allied arts, written by william braid white. Prices are given only for the lowestpriced style of each model. This is a reprinting of the book written by theodore steinway on legal pads that in 1953 was given to steinway and sons employees as a commemoration of the. When you purchase any preowned steinway, you will receive 100% of the original purchase price in trade toward a new steinway or steinwaydesigned piano of greater value for the lifetime of the instrument. Sell my steinway piano we buy steinways instant price.
The parlor concert grand the steinway model c is a smaller version of the concert grand model d piano. Here you will find charts with specific details about each model produced by steinway from 1853 through 1994, including serial numbers. Beautiful book, very interesting history of steinway piano. Some of steinway s most notable art case pianos are the almatadema grand piano from 1887, the 100,000th steinway piano from 1903, the 300,000th steinway piano from 1938, and the sound of harmony from 2008. A year later he completed his very first grand piano and began a small manufacturing practice with his sons. Without a doubt, the best known piano brand is steinway, also known as steinway and sons. The steinway model d concert grand piano 811 weighs 990 lbs. We can tell this because steinway does an excellent job of helping people identify their pianos through their serial number database the original serial number was probably on the cast iron plate between the tuning pins above the keyboard, however we can no longer read the number there. Our pioneering handcrafted methods are still employed today to ensure our uncompromising standards of quality, in turn ensuring that the steinway piano remains the peerless instrument of uncompromising expression. Cost of a steinway piano price chart and buyers guide. Sell my steinway piano we buy steinways instant price offer.
If you are having trouble locating the serial number for your steinway grand piano, there are other places you can. Stobern sie in bestsellern als handliche pocket bookausgabe. How to trace a steinway piano serial number our pastimes. Master to apprentice, generation after generation, every steinway is built with experience decades in the making by artisans who take pride and time to humanize a piano still made by hand, who strive for and achieve continuous innovation and improvement. All ebony, mahogany, and walnut grand models come with an adjustable artist bench, the others with a regular bench. Sep 22, 2011 the making of a steinway piano is a timehonored process involving the hands of many skilled craftspeople over the course of almost a full year. Barron tracks, from inception to stage, one steinway concert grand piano named k0862, a direct descendant of the first model d developed in. They took the show on the road to new york in 1850. This authoritative and entertaining book tells the story of the steinway piano. It is for these reasons that over 19 out of 20 concert pianists choose the steinway grand piano and why the instrument remains at the heart of cultured homes the world over. The steinway l is a great option for people looking for a fullsized piano that will accommodate all ranges of music. Steinway piano sales, or sell your steinway piano to us. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Within three years of arriving in new york harbor, the steinways had opened their first workshop on varick street, then moved to a larger space on at 8288 walker. On december 10, 1938, a grand piano was presented to president franklin d. So, recently, when i saw it at some bookstore, i couldnt resist buying another copy. Representative prices of our fully restored steinway pianos are. This included a new solid spruce soundboard, a new customfitted hard maple pinblock, a fully rebuilt action with the. We can tell this because steinway does an excellent job of helping people identify their pianos through their serial number database. The value of a specific piano model may be determined on the basis of the price shown. But what about the piano that comes in between these two. The making of a steinway concert grand and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. In the pursuit of that goal, he developed the unparalleled steinway and built a legacy that stands as one of americas greatest success stories. The official guide to steinway pianos music resource. Introduced in 1923 with a 26 note bass section designed by henry zeigler, the l was produced mainly in new york and was discontinued in 2005 when the model o was reintroduced. It covers historical developments not only of the piano building business, but of the evolution of the workers rights starting. The steinway grand is the gold standard of musical instruments, representing over 160 years of dedication to craftsmanship and uncompromised expression.
Boston pianos designed by steinway and sons history. Our preowned steinway pianos are gently used, in like new condition, many just a few years old. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading piano. On steinway upright pianos, the serial number can be located on the top of the wrest plank above the cast iron plate when you open the lid. This 57 grand piano has been fully restored to a highperformance standard. Roosevelt for the white house by theodore steinway. The book was a memento for employees and was never released to the public. It is for these reasons that over 19 out of 20 concert pianists choose the steinway grand piano and why the instrument remains at the heart of cultured homes the world over download the steinway brochure. I appreciate the history of pianos, and steinway will. Picked this up at a book sale for a pianist friend, but couldnt resist reading it. The history of the steinway model c chupps piano service. Interposed sections of steinway corporate history serve some background. Measuring 5 1 and weighing only 540 lbs, the s was designed to cater to the consumer who wanted the classic statement of a grand piano in their home where space was limited. While a used steinway will always cost less than a new steinway piano, the used price is entirely dependent on the latest price.
The making of a steinway concert grand and millions of other books are available for. At a ceremony on december 10, 1938, this grand piano was presented to president franklin d. The making of a steinway concert grand by james barron. This book is a must for any lover of pianos and their music. This project is a history of technology study of the early steinway piano from 1853 to 1892. This book gives a full insight into the development and manufacture of these exceptional instruments and shows why these pianos are the finest in the world and hence the first choice of classical musicians. Jul 28, 2016 the origin and history of the steinway model c grand piano.
Steinway, founded what would become one of the greatest success stories in american history. The making of a steinway concert grand kindle edition by barron, james. The piano replaced another steinway at the white house, a gilded and painted grand piano which had been given in 1903 now on exhibit in the smithsonian institution. A piano is one of the largest consumer purchases most people will ever make.
Yet when you shop for a piano youre up against a vast variety of brands, models, and styles, competing claims, and strange terminology. The piano book how to buy and care for a piano the consumers bible since 1987. Over the next thirty years, henry and his sons developed the modern piano. This lavishly illustrated book tells the remarkable story of the steinway company and its. This instrument features an expertly refinished cabinet, restored original ivory keytops, a fully rebuilt action, the original hard maple pinblock, the original solid. The cost of a steinway piano steinway piano prices by. This section lists the average resale prices for used pianos. Additional data regarding models and finishes is available at the website piano exchange, llc. To determine the age of a steinway piano we need to first locate the serial number. Boston pianos come in six grand piano models and four upright piano models. Find your steinway pianos age with the serial number.
Once you trace a steinway piano serial number, the steinway. This authoritative and entertaining book tells the story of the steinway piano company. The steinway model s baby grand piano 51 weighs 540 pounds. When did the white house acquire its famous steinway piano.
For steinway upright pianos you need to lift the pianos lid and look inside the piano, normally the serial number along with the model will be stamped in ink inside the piano, also on its harp. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway pianofrom learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the usedsteinway market. As for the book, i passed it on to a friend who liked it, and he passed it on to another friend. Now comparable to the model b, in its time the model c was referred to as a semiconcert grand and was a very popular model during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This fine piano underwent a full chupps piano service restoration. James barron spent a year in the steinway plant in astoria, queens, as a concert. We invite the suggestions of knowledgable piano experts, piano builders, preservers and restorers. James barron takes the reader through all of the major stages of building a particular steinway concert grand piano and the journey is interesting, informative, light hearted and surprising.
Any such price list would only cause confusion in the marketplace. A typical used steinway sells for 47% 50% of todays prices. Steinway pianos new york city piano stores nyc used piano. With the many honors and recognitions that steinway pianos have received, they have also been recognized with a gold medal in 1855 during the american institute fair at the new. For those whose desire for a used steinway piano is 100% genuine. Steinway holds more or less patents, the greatest number among piano manufacturing companies in the world. Our pioneering handcrafted methods are still employed today to ensure our uncompromising standards of quality, in turn ensuring that the steinway remains the peerless instrument of uncompromising expression. Steinway model s baby grand piano designed by paul bilhuber and introduced in 1935, the model s is the most recent addition to the steinway family. Steinway pianos have the most storied legacy and history around and are used by an overwhelming majority of concert pianists. The official guide to steinway pianos amadeus by roy f.
Serial numbers can be found on the cast iron plate between the tuning pins above the keyboard. The steinway model b measures 611 in length while the model d is 811. The ny steinway factory is located on 11 acres of land. Its easy to imagine this book was written by john mcphee and, if it had been, it would be one of his better works. Barrons writing is urbane without pretension, articulate and always a sensitive match to his topic. Barron loves the piano, respects the company, and is dilgent in showing the evolution of steinway, as well as the creation of one, new opus a 9 foot concert piano. The making of a steinway concert grand, by james barron, a gifted reporter for the new york times, is an engaging wellwritten book. After 19 years of research and development, the yamaha cf series concert grand piano, successor to the cfiii, made its debut in may 2010. This included a new solid spruce soundboard, a new customfitted hard maple pinblock, a fully rebuilt action with the finest renner parts and much more.
Serial numbers for some early production may span more than one year. Preferred by a majority of concert pianists worldwide, each piano is a handmade, oneofakind piece that receives a serial number when it is born to identify the year it was produced. On the home page, click on manufacturer history sheets. A fascinating and detailed look into steinway and piano history and building. Heinrichs roots in piano building began in the 1820s out of his home in seesen, germany. Timeline steinway history the unofficial history of. By the 1870s, the steinway history had taken a turn as the steinway company was massively successfully. James barron spent a year in the steinway plant in astoria, queens, as a concert grand comes together. Later that year, the winners of both the national u. Theodore steinway, on behalf of the steinway family.
The making of a steinway concert grand kindle edition by. The official guide to steinway pianos music resource history. Steinways rebuilt steinway upright pianos steinway grand pianos. This list does not include the many furniture styles and finishes. The history of the steinway company is woven into this description.