Master craftsmen in the USA

Where have they gone?

America's
Master craftsmen. Piano at the White House
Entry Hall.
The Steinway Piano takes one year to build.
I have been privileged to see a program on PBS
about Steinway. Try to watch the documentary film
"The making of Steinway # L 1037"
First thing to mind was  the Steinway and Broadway
corner in Queens. As a child I remember that corner .

Heinrich Steinweg (Steinway) 
Emigrated in 1850
Started Steinway and Sons. 

This photo is by Mathew Brady.
Starting in 1855, Steinway pianos
 received gold medals
at several U.S. and European exhibitions. The company gained
international recognition in 1867 at the Paris Exhibition when 
it was awarded the prestigious "Grand Gold Medal of Honor"
for excellence in manufacturing and engineering. 
It was the first time an American company had received this award.
Steinway pianos quickly became the piano of choice for many
members of royalty and won the respect and admiration of the 
world's great pianists.

 1866 Steinway & Sons 
opened the first Steinway Hall 
on 14th Street. With a main auditorium of 2,000 seats,
it became New York City's artistic and cultural center,
housing the New York Philharmonic until 
Carnegie Hall opened in 1891.
 By this time, the company had moved to its current
location in the Astoria section of Queens, New York, 
and built Steinway Village. Virtually its own town,  WOW!
Astoria used to be that village...Never knew that.
Steinway Village had its own foundries, factory, post office, 
parks and housing for employees.

Theodore Steinway, 
an accomplished pianist,
was in charge
for the technical aspects
of piano making and personally 
earned the company 45 patents,
including one in 1875 for the 
modern concert grand piano. In the same year.
There is a book out   -  88 Keys the making of a Steinway
The German factory changed its name from C.F. Theodor Steinweg 
to Grotrian, Helfferich, Schulz,   -- HELLO !!!   

Queen Elizabeth ll appointed a ROYAL WARRANT to Steinway.

No artist or ensemble is a paid 

endorser of the piano. 

That's called standing on your own NAME.

Before commercials- that's the way America was in those day.
Commercials do nothing for me.
Tours of the factory take close to three hours and are extremely informative. 
The tour is excellent, and in fact, Forbes magazine voted it one of the top 3
factory tours in the country. 
My Grandmother lived in Astoria.
I remember the corner of steinway and Broadway. 
There was a store there with furniture, dinettes I remember.

Worldwide Steinway has  around 200 authorized dealers. 

Posted by Yvonne @ La Petite Gallery
Comments are welcome