Lifetimes ago (established in 1837) Knabe pianos were among the finest in the land, manufactured in Baltimore by an esteemed firm and played in home parlors, churches and school rooms, in the White House, and on the concert platform from Tennessee to Tokyo.
Wm. Knabe & Co. turned out a product that required not only hard and painstaking labor but the finest artistry. A simple upright took six months to finish, and a grand up to two years. Knabe pianos were described by the New York Daily Tribune as having “a pure, full and equal tone, in quality melodious, rich and sonorous, housed in cases rich and elegant in design”
This piano company had a long pattern of turnovers and shifts from one owner to another, but the long list of turnovers did not change the quality of the product. Knabe’s patents were numerous, and their many innovations aided in improving piano design and evolution well into the 20th Century.
Knabe’s history is sprinkled with famous names:
Wm. Knabe & Co. could claim that the great French composer Camille Saint-Saens played a Knabe. The company financed an American tour by the eminent German conductor Hans von Bulow, who played a Knabe at all of his recitals thereafter. Francis Scott Key owned a Knabe, as did Brigham Young (actually, he had three Knabes at his home in Salt Lake City). And the wildly famous American virtuoso Louis Gottschalk gave this testimonial: “The Knabe pianos, on which I have played, are exceedingly remarkable for their qualities of tone. The bass is powerful, without harshness, and the upper notes sweet, clear and harmoniously mellow.” Most interesting is that In 1891, Ernest Knabe proposed to add an extravagant touch to the opening ceremonies of the nation’s most auspicious new musical showcase, Carnegie Hall. The Knabe firm, he announced, would finance the appearance of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, widely considered the world’s greatest living composer.
The piano in our showroom has been rebuilt approximately 20 years ago. It has a beautiful warm walnut finish and will look regal in a traditionally furnished setting.
This piano comes with a 5 year warranty, a matching bench, main-floor delivery within the Ottawa Gatineau area and post delivery tuning. Call for pricing.