Many vaguely recognize that pianos were made in early America, but suppose that the role of American makers was peripheral-they were more followers than leaders. Knabe & Company pioneered the combining of European-immigrant craftsmanship with modern American manufacturing methods while maintaining high levels of quality-and much of this occurred well before the advent of Steinway.Īmericans also tend to assume that the modern piano is largely a European invention. Between 1823 and the 1870s, Chickering & Sons led the world in piano design, while Wm. However, many others contributed to that development, including Chickering and Knabe. A hundred years ago, many considered Mason & Hamlin to be Steinway’s equal, or even superior.įew would quarrel with the notion that Steinway made important contributions to the art of piano making, especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, many rebuilders of high-end pianos say that the old Mason & Hamlins were better designed and more technically sophisticated. Easily forgotten in the mists of time is the fact that in the early 20th century-the “golden age” of piano making-the company had a number of competitors in Europe and in the United States, and most prominent among the latter was Mason & Hamlin.Ĭompared to Steinway, the Mason & Hamlin pianos of the 1920s had more expensive bills of materials, required more labor, and were produced in much smaller numbers. A century ago, however, Steinway was not nearly so dominant. Given the technical expertise and marketing acumen Steinway has displayed over the years, as well as a fortuitous combination of historical and market forces, it’s hardly surprising that the company has achieved such wide name recognition and market penetration. Mason & Hamlin, as well as other deserving makes of fine pianos, are often overlooked today because of the strength of the Steinway name.

Chickering aeolian player piano