Steinway & Sons Pianos

View The Full Line of Steinway and Sons Information and Products Here

Over the centuries the piano has become an enduring symbol and instrument of not just music, but the arts in general. And ever since the first pianos were made, there have been many companies that have been founded to create these magnificent musical instruments. Among the many that have been founded over the years, however, a few names have risen to become the top piano makers in the world. Among them is Steinway & Sons.

Steinway & Sons is an American-German piano maker founded by German immigrant to New York Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg in 1853. Steinweg, who was a piano maker of the Steinweg brand, moved to America from Germany in 1850, with his son Christian remaining in Germany to continue making pianos under the Steinweg name. 3 years later, he founded Steinway & Sons, in a small workshop at the back of 85 Varick Street in Manhattan. The first piano, the 483 -named for being the 483^rd piano built since Germany-, sold for $500. It was a sign of things to come, as just a year later demand for the pianos rose, prompting a move to a new, larger area.

The same demand saw the Steinway & Sons brand building a new factory and lumber yard to increase their production of pianos. But during this time, it's not just the numbers that improved, but the technology as well. The pianos had undergone a number of critical improvements, most notably, that of acoustics, improving the quality and consistency of the sound produced. Steinway & Sons have actually patented around 130 inventions and developments, and won many important prizes at numerous exhibitions in New York, Paris, and London, due to their achievements. By 1862, Steinway & Sons have received over 35 awards, and that's just in the U.S.

Due to the success of the company, William Steinway founded a professional community named Steinway Village in Queens, New York. This area later became part of Long Island City, however, its legacy remains, in the form of Steinway Street, and the Steinway factory which is still used today.

By the 1900s, Steinway & Sons were producing over 3,500 pianos annually, becoming one of the largest piano manufacturers of its era. The pianos made during this time have become collectors' items, fetching for very high prices today. Over the following decades, Steinway would see the rise, and fall of its production, especially during the Great Depression and after the 2^nd World War. Despite rising production numbers again, by 1972 the company was sold to CBS, and in 1985 sold again, though the name was retained. Since then, Steinway has expanded to open musical academies, and other organizations, and has since saw a resurgence in popularity.

Today, Steinway pianos are among the most prized in the world, being used by many notable musicians as well as being the preferred brand for many powerful people. If you have a Steinway piano, and are looking to move it somewhere, be sure to use professional piano movers, to keep your investment safe!