History of Schubert Pianos

Schubert Piano was established in New York in 1880. In 1885, they incorporated and Peter Duffy was appointed as president. The Schubert piano company boasted the historic location of Fifth Avenue in New York City. The company was well known for their marketing and production of both the Schubert piano and the Melodistyle player piano. In 1932, Lester Piano Company took over Schubert and the name was discontinued in 1937. [1]

Due to their success with the Mandolin Piano, one of their most popular models, the Schubert Piano company was considered one of the most well-marketed early piano manufacturers and quickly became a household name. Schubert built both upright and grand pianos, and they were usually intricately carved with a lot of detail. These pianos were expensive even in their day, and they were built with only the best craftsmanship and materials. [1]

About Schubert Pianos

Schubert pianos were considered well made and extravagant. Their central location in New York meant Schubert was catering to the elite and most celebrated musicians and music-lovers in their day. The Schubert pianos won awards at the Paris International Exposition, the Rotterdain World’s Fair and the Chicago Exposition [2].

They were well known for their ‘Mandolin Piano’, an upright piano built with a mechanism that dropped metal tabs between the piano hammers and strings via pressing the middle pedal. [2] Because of the engineering of this new piece of equipment, the sound was unique and recognizable from many other contemporary piano models. This Mandol Piano and the sound it produced became widely known as the ‘rinky tink’ or ‘honky tonk’ piano sound, which was used in saloons and bars across the land for decades. [2]

Restoring a Schubert Piano

Many of the more detailed and intricately-carved Schubert pianos are excellent candidates for restoration. By improving the exterior materials and refinishing, these pianos are stunning. To learn more about the process of restoration, contact Lindeblad for a free consultation today.

References:

[1] Pierce, W. Robert. Pierce Piano Atlas: Anniversary Edition, 2017 Our 70th Year. Albuquerque: Ashley, 2017. Print.

[2] http://www.bluebookofpianos.com/agess.htm