Bosendorfer Pianos
Bosendorfer are well known for their meticulous piano building process. Bosendorfer choose to spend more time on quality and produce fewer grands and uprights than most other manufacturers. Quality is the most important thing and every detail should be perfect.
Bosendorfer is a piano manufacturer, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BAWAG PSK Gruppe, and is based in Vienna, Austria. Established by Ignaz Bosendorfer in 1828, it is the oldest piano manufacturer still producing its own instruments today and has had a history of producing some of the finest instruments in the world.
In 1830 Bosendorfer was granted the status of official piano maker to the Emperor. Ignaz’s son Ludwig Bosendorfer (April 15, 1835 – May 9, 1919) took over in 1859, operating from new premises from 1860. Between 1872 and its closure in 1913, the associated Bosendorfer-Saal was one of the premier concert halls of Vienna. In 1909 the company was sold to Carl Hutterstrasser, who was succeeded by his sons Alexander and Wolfgang in 1931.
In 1966 itwas taken over by the Jasper Corporation (later renamed Kimball International), parent company of Kimball Pianos, where it remained before returning to Austrian hands when it was purchased by BAWAG PSK Gruppe in 2001. The company’s logo is written in the Notre Dame Roman typeface by Linotype.
Bosendorfer pioneered the extension of the typical 88-key keyboard, creating the Imperial Grand (Model 290), which has 97 keys, and later the Model 225, which has 92. One of the earliest and most important artists to be associated with Bosendorfer was Franz Liszt, who found that their pianos and those of the Bechstein company, were the only instruments capable of withstanding his tremendously powerful playing. Still today Bosendorfer is known as a piano that well withstands the rigors of concert halls and tours. Pianists who have been associated with Boendorfer include Charlemagne Palestine in particular, Wilhelm Backhaus, Oscar Peterson. Article by Wikipedia.
Questions
Dear ………………., I am addressing you with a request for information with regard to an instrument produced by company Boesendorfer!
What I know is the following:
Type Grand piano
Colour Black
Size 180/135/90
Keys 85
Pedals 2
On the key cover a double headed eagle (with a crown on each of them) is depicted. In one of his limbs he is carrying a crown and in the other one a sword. Above the eagle it is written „I. Boesendorfer” and below it „WIEN”. On both his sides it is written respectively: „Kaiserl: Konigl: Hof” and “Piano Verfertiger”.
Below the strings there are other two captions. One of them says: ”I. Boesendorfer Kaiserl Konigl Hof Forte Piano Macher Goldene medaille” and the other one is in the shape of a round stamp and says: ”MEDAILLE GENERAL EXCELLENCE OF PIANOS 1862 LONDINI HONORIS CAUSA”.
I cannot find a serial number or a year of production anywhere.
What I would like to know is the following:
In which year was it produced and how many such grand pianos have been manufactured?
To who were they sold?
How many of this type of grand pianos are known to have been safe-kept till today?
How can we explain the fact that the name of the company founder Ignaz Boesendorfer, who died in 1859, is written and below the strings we can see 1862?
Are captions below the strings placed to all grand pianos and is it possible that to have been done after the instrument is ready and the strings are draw?
If the round stamp caption is from the 1862 London exhibition does it mean that exactly this grand piano was exposed there?
What could be the explanation for the difference in the spelling of the third and the sixth letter in Boesendorfer (on the key cover and below the strings)?
Is it possible that no serial number had been written and if not – where could I find it?
Probably there are many other details I cannot remember now.
I really hope and I will be extremely grateful if you are willing and able to help me in finding the answers! I would send you also photos but I am afraid that if I attach files to this message you might not open it.
Thanks for your attention!
Faithfully yours : Elizabeth