Steinway Upright Piano

Q:         I’m thinking of selling an old Steinway upright piano and I’d like to give the buyer as much information as possible. It says “Pat Nov 21 1893” with the serial number “79386” inside the flip-down panel. On the right side there is a gold stamp with gold “coins” that say “Piano manufacturers to H.M. the Queen of England, H.R. Highness the Prince of Wales and H.R. Highness the Princess of Wales.” What can you tell me about my piano?

A:         Steinway & Co. was founded in New York City by Henry E. Steinway, a German immigrant. He was born Heinrich Steinweg and changed his name when he immigrated in 1850. He and his sons began making pianos under the Steinway & Co. name in 1853. The Nov. 21, 1893, patent is for “improvements in string-frames for upright pianos” and was granted to Henry Ziegler, a member of the Steinway family. The gold “coins” show that the company held royal warrants, which meant that they made pianos for members of the royal family. Queen Victoria granted the first royal warrant to the company in 1890. The serial number indicates that your piano was made in 1893. Steinway was bought by Paulson & Co. in September 2013.