History

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. Every Steinway & Sons grand and upright is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and a consummate work of art. Each Steinway piano, consisting of more than 12,000 individual parts, has its own musical character and is as unique as the individual who plays it. The history of Steinway & Sons reflects this age-old and revered tradition.

The very first Steinway & Sons patent was granted in 1857, and since that time the company has been granted more than 125 additional patents, positioning the Steinway as the piano by which all others are judged. Our company’s latest innovation, the Steinway & Sons Spirio, is the world’s finest high resolution player piano. A masterpiece of craftsmanship, technology and artistry, Spirio provides an unrivaled musical experience, indistinguishable from a live performance.

Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853 by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway in a Manhattan loft on Varick Street. Over the next thirty years, Henry and his sons developed the modern piano. They built their pianos one at a time, applying skills that have been handed down from master to apprentice, generation after generation, ever since. The Steinway piano became the choice for ninety-eight percent of concertizing artists, none of whom are compensated to endorse the instrument. The Steinway earned a reputation as an investment for the owner in the legacy of future generations.

To call a genuine grand or upright piano of Steinway & Sons one’s own is an overwhelming feeling. Far more than just an exquisite instrument, it is an instrument of the highest expression and creativity. A Steinway piano intimately connects artist and listener, and invites its owner to join a tradition & history of musical perfection, making it an invaluable investment.