| The history of Steinway Pianos is long as they date | | | | experience great success which could be accredited |
| back to 1853 when the first Steinway piano was sold | | | | to Steinway’s dedication to building “the best |
| for $500 to a New York family. Steinway and Sons | | | | piano possible” by basing his business on three |
| was founded by Henry Engelhard Steinway in New | | | | basic principles: |
| York. Steinway was a German Immigrant who had | | | | 1. “Build to standard, not a price” |
| spent his previous career as a master cabinet maker. | | | | 2. “Make no compromise in quality” |
| He built his first piano in his kitchen in Germany. By the | | | | 3. “Strive always to improve the instrument” |
| time Steinway sold his first piano he had already | | | | These strong principles combined with superior |
| produced 482 pianos. | | | | craftsmanship and some clever marketing has seen |
| Steinway worked with his sons to develop the modern | | | | Steinway & Sons go from strength to strength in |
| piano based upon the scientific research and | | | | the piano industry. The Steinway pianos have also |
| acoustical theories around at the time. Steinway | | | | earned more than 125 registered patents which no |
| Pianos revolutionized the design of pianos and became | | | | other piano company has done. |
| synonymous with quality, style, excellence, looks and | | | | In 1871 Henry Steinway died and his sons took over |
| musical inspiration. Because of this Steinway & | | | | operation and continued the success of the Steinway |
| Sons began to receive national and international | | | | pianos that their father had started. They expanded |
| recognition. In 1855, only 2 years after the companies | | | | into showrooms and retail so that more people had |
| conception, Steinway pianos received gold medals at | | | | access to their beautifully hand crafted pianos. |
| the US and European exhibitions. The Steinway pianos | | | | Today 5000 Steinway pianos are crafter per annum |
| soon became the piano of choice for royalty and the | | | | worldwide and many prominent pianists are Steinway |
| great pianists of the world. This recognition and | | | | artists. When you choose a Steinway piano for your |
| admiration has continued to this day. | | | | home you are choosing a piece of history as each |
| As the company grew the need for a bigger | | | | piano is traditionally handcrafted and takes |
| manufacturing area also grew. This let to Steinway | | | | approximately one year to complete. It is no wonder |
| & Sons opening a factory and employee village in | | | | that Steinway pianos are the piano of choice for nine |
| Astoria, Queens – where they are still located to | | | | out of ten convert artists, pianists, composers and |
| this day. A second factory was also build in Hamburg, | | | | performers. |
| Germany in 1880. The Steinway pianos continued to | | | | |