Craftsmen Piano

Imperial Golden Age

A Berlin-built Bechstein grand of about 7’2″ with the Kaiser/König Hoflieferant inscription and a separate foundry mark on the plate is very much in line with Bechstein’s late 19th-century imperial-era output for high-status domestic and professional use.

By the late 19th century, Bechstein, Blüthner, and Steinway were the three prestige names in major European musical centers; Bechstein in particular was deeply embedded in Berlin’s musical life, with its own concert hall by 1885 and showrooms in London and other cities.

Composers and pianists such as Liszt, Debussy, and others were associated with Bechstein at various times, and many conservatories and salons in Germany and Britain owned Bechstein grands alongside, or instead of, Steinways during this period.

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