Reinhold Schröther Grand Piano

[MMN]

Hi,

I have an Grand piano Reinhold Schröther marked "M 1891".
Is there anyone who can tell anything about this brand, model and vintage?

I think it was build in Berlin between 1925-1930. M1891 is possible a model number. It has a patent number: 364762.

Best regards
Morten

[Bill Kibby]

I am not sure what you mean by "M 1891", it cannot be a date. I have no experience of this brand at all, established in 1914, and all I have is a few dates of serial numbers. I don't know the model or the date. As explained on my Numbers page
http://www.pianohistory.info/numbers.html
it could be a stock number for a retailer whose initial is M, such as Morley.

[MMN]

I think it was build i Berlin between 1925-1930. M1891 is possible a model number. It has a patent number: 364762.

[Pombear88]

Hi,

Sorry I know this post is old but I have a Reinhold Schrother baby grand. We are in the process of restoring it in June. I have been trying to find out more information about it.

I found this interesting post on how the company closed.

Hello,
a close friend of my grandfather´s worked with the Steinberg company in Berlin and so it happened that in 1935 my grandfather bought a grand piano directly at the factory. The grand had been built in 1935 or 1934 and was on display in the showroom. According to my father the friend indicated that Wilhelm Furtwängler, the famous conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra played this grand when he once visited the factory.
It carries the number 33958. It has a Langer action. Franz Langer was a company specialising in piano actions which existed from 1882 to 1935 when it became insolvent (see Hubert Henke, Encyclopedia of German Suppliers for the Piano Industry, 2002, Bochinsky publishers, pages 141 – 142). The action looks exactly like the one shown on the photographs of Illuiscl. Despite its age our grand was still in good shape and taken from my parent´s home to Stuttgart in 2004 where it was slightly reconditioned by the former piano building factory Mathaes which today only does service work.
As to the story of Wilhelm Furtwängler having played our grand, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra indeed at least possesed one Steinberg grand as reported by Hubert Henkel in his Encyclopedia of German Piano Makers, published 2000 by Bochinsky, page 626 – 627. Henkel gives the most comprehensive history of the Steinberg factory available so it might be interesting enough if give you my translation of his entry on „Steinberg & Co. Piano factory Berlin, 1908 – 1940:
„The limited company is established by company charter of 16th April 1908, the share capital being 20,000 (Gold)Marks, managing director is the technician Ignatz Loewy, the place of business at East Gubener Straße 42c. On 3d Oct. 1908 the trademarks „Steinberg Pianos“ and on 13th December „Berg-Pianos“ are registered. In June 1911 the company and the factory move to Frankfurter Allee 117, having a good reputation as an active member of the trade. De Wit 1912 indicates Georg Schlesinger and Ignatz Loewy as owners of the company. Since 1919 the company is in Frankfurter Allee 12 and Cadiner Straße 20, it participates in the Leipzig spring exhibition, owners still being Georg Schlesinger and Ignatz Loewy, the company builds its own actions. In Nov. 1929 the insolvent company Reinhold Schröther is acquired together with Fritz Kuhla AG. Since spring of 1932 big concert grands are being built, one of them delivered to the Berlin Philharmony. At the end of 1936 Ignatz Loewy and Georg Schlesinger flee from the National Socialists to England, Karl Nickel is granted full power of attorney (Prokura) to continue the operation. On 8th Jan. 1937 there is a conference of creditors, on 12th Febr. 1937 bankruptcy proceedings over the assets of the company are opened. In Oct. 1937 Paul Bogs is announced the new owner, Gertrud Mohlis gets Prokura in Aug. 1938. Since Febr. 1940 Bernhard May is the new owner and he changes the name of the company to his own name, the power of attorney of Gertrud Möhlis is cancelled. Sales Brochures: July 1909, German, English, French, 12 small pianos; Sept. 1913, German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, 2 grands, 17 small pianos; May 1921, 34 pages, 7 languages, like before and also Portugese and Swedish, 2 baby grands 133 and 157, 12 small pianos, 1 reproduction small piano; Sept. 1928, 16 pages, grands and small pianos; Oct. 1935 brochure for small vertical piano „Favorita“.“
Another book, Jens-Uwe Witter, The Encyclopedia of Pianos, 1st ed. 1998, p. 448 also indicates 1908 as the year when „Steinberg & Co.“ was established. He lists three numbers with the respective production dates: 19,104: 1920; 21,933: 1925; 24,055: 20th March 1930. In the 2d ed. 2000, p. 712 he indicates locations at Tottenham, London and Berlin as if the company was founded in England and moved to Germany the same year. Without further explanation he also refers to entries on „Bently, Rogers & Sons“ and Steinberg & Gehr, Rogers & Son, Bentley“. From 1922 – 1923 Berlin, Grimmaische Straße 26 is given as the location and 1923 a subsidiary in Leipzig is mentioned. Hope this was not too much. Bye!

Thanks

Pombear