It holds a lot of nostalgic value for me, but if it's only worth 600-1000 I'm considering tearing is apart to use the beautiful wood for making guitars and give the soul of the instrument new life. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this piano as I'll be moving soon and don't have much space for it. I have been unsuccessful in finding pictures of anyone else who has this model of piano, but I did find a drawing in the December 1884 copy of Manufacturer and Builder that matches the inner workings. I also found signatures of some of the folks that worked in the M&H shop on the wooden part of the keys.
#Mason and hamlin upright piano 1901 serial#
I don't know much about the piano, and there is no clear serial number, apart from the number 405 being found in a couple of different spots on the piano.
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Unfortunately the aesthetics aren't great, but it has surprisingly held its tune with very little variance despite having never been tuned while we've had it (perhaps a testament to the way these old pianos were made). Below are some pictures of an early M&H upright piano that has been in the family for about 20 years. It is thanks to Richard Gertz that the Mason & Hamlin of today has its signature tension resonator, is aliquots, and its unique tonal quality.First time poster to the forums. Richard was so successful, he was invited to become a shareholder and consequently developed some of the most advanced features piano technology had ever seen technology that even today is lightyears ahead of the competition. After returning to Germany for several years, Mason & Hamlin recruited him and recognizing his unique talents gave him considerable freedom in the creating their new scales. Upon arriving in America, he began working for Steinway innovating and adding significantly to the rich tones of the Steinway grands. He came from a long line of musicians and was trained as a piano builder under the guidance of some of the world’s finest piano makers including the masters at Blüthner and Bösendorfer in Germany. Richard Gertz can and should be considered the greatest forebearer of the American piano. We hope that someday soon everyone who’s interested will be able to come to our factory, see how we’re making our pianos today, what we have planned for the future, and then enjoy a glimpse at our past.” History Now we’d like to show our appreciation for their interest and support with a special website where they can share their stories about the pianos they love, meet fellow Mason & Hamlin fans, and also have a place to see Mason & Hamlin treasures. When we bought the company 1996, we heard from so many of them, all grateful that we were going to keep this great piano alive. “There are countless Mason & Hamlin aficionados around the world.
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“Mason & Hamlin pianos have a mystique about them,” explained Gary Burgett, who owns the company with his brother, Kirk. The museum and creation of the Mason & Hamlin Historical Preservation Society are just two ways the company is honoring its long and illustrious history. That’s why the factory’s top floor showroom will one day house the Mason & Hamlin Museum, where vintage instruments, artifacts and memorabilia will be on display to the public. But along with its eye to the future is one trained on the past. Mason & Hamlin is a forward-thinking company that invests time and millions of dollars in creating its products. Choosing quality over quantity, Mason & Hamlin limits its annual production to 50 uprights and 300 grand pianos. Before a Mason & Hamlin leaves the factory, it’s inspected no fewer than 12 times. Within its walls, a workforce of 70 highly skilled craftsmen complete every phase of production from rim-pressing to prepping the finished product.Īttention to detail takes time, and Mason & Hamlin invests a great deal of it in every piano it makes. Six floors of its busy factory are dedicated to handcrafting Mason & Hamlin pianos. Mason & Hamlin is headquartered in Haverhill, Massachusetts, not far from its original location in Boston, the birthplace of American piano design and manufacturing. Of the hundreds of American piano companies that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mason & Hamlin is one of only two that survive today.
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Founded in 1854, Mason & Hamlin is one of America’s oldest and most respected piano manufacturers.