Steinway & Sons
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (/ˈstaɪnweɪ/ (
listen)), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway).[2][11] The company's growth led to the opening of a factory in New York City, United States, and later a factory in Hamburg, Germany.[12] The factory in the Queens borough of New York City supplies the Americas, and the factory in Hamburg supplies the rest of the world.[7][13]
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 Steinway & Sons concert grand piano, Model D-274 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | March 5, 1853[1] in Manhattan, New York City[2] |
| Founder | Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway)[3] |
| Headquarters | • Europe: Hamburg, Germany[4] 53°34′27″N 9°55′27″E • Americas and international: One Steinway Place, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.[4] 40°46′45″N 73°53′59″W |
Number of locations | 200 authorized dealers operating 300 showrooms worldwide[5] |
Area served | Worldwide[5] |
| Products | • Grand pianos[6] • Upright pianos[7] |
Production output | 2,600 pianos (annually)[8] |
| Services | Restoration of Steinway pianos[9] |
| Parent | Paulson & Co. Inc.[10] |
| Website | www |
Along with C. Bechstein, Blüthner and Bösendorfer, Steinway & Sons is frequently referred to as one of the "Big Four" piano manufacturers.[14][15][16]
Steinway is a prominent piano company,[17][18] known for making pianos of high quality[19][20] and for inventions within the area of piano development.[21][22] Steinway has been granted 139 patents in piano making, with the first in 1857.[23] The company's share of the high-end grand piano market consistently exceeds 80 percent.[24] The dominant position has been criticized, with some musicians and writers arguing that it has blocked innovation and led to a homogenization of the sound favored by pianists.[25][26]
Steinway pianos have received numerous awards.[27] One of the first is a gold medal in 1855 at the American Institute Fair at the New York Crystal Palace.[28][29] From 1855 to 1862, Steinway pianos received 35 gold medals.[27][30] More awards and recognitions followed,[31] including three medals at the International Exposition of 1867 in Paris.[32] The European part of the company holds a royal warrant of appointment to Queen Elizabeth II.[33][34] Steinway & Sons was named Company of the Year in 1996 by The Music Trades magazine. The award was given in recognition of Steinway's "overall performance, quality, value-added products, a well-executed promotional program and disciplined distribution which generated the most impressive results in the entire music industry."[35]
In addition to the flagship Steinway piano line, Steinway markets two other, lower-priced brands of piano sold under the secondary brand names Boston and Essex.