Baldwin

Baldwin was established in 1862 by Dwight Hamilton Baldwin in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were originally a retail enterprise, selling Steinway and Chickering pianos. They began manufacturing their own pianos in 1889 operating as D.H. Baldwin & Co. Shortly after D.H. Baldwin’s death, the name became the Baldwin Piano & Organ Co. in 1903.

Baldwin has manufactured pianos under the names: Acrosonic, Chickering, Wurlitzer, Ellington, Franke, Hamilton, Howard, Kremlin, Manualo, Modello, Monarch, St. Regis, Sargent, Schroeder, Valley Gem, Winton.

Baldwin acquired controlling stock of German firm, Bechstein, in 1963, and the remainder of the shares in 1974. By 1986 they sold Bechstein to Karl Schulze, a West German piano retailer and master piano technician. In 1988, they purchased the Wurlitzer and Chickering names.

In the 1980s, Korean firm, Samick, manufactured pianos bearing the DH Baldwin name. They were purchased by Baldwin and sold through Baldwin dealers. In 2001, Gibson, makers of guitars and other musical instruments and accessories, purchased Baldwin. Baldwin grand pianos were then manufactured at the Trumann, AR plant. The following is a list of brand names that are/were recently in use or in development by Gibson: A.B. Chase, Aeolian, Ampico, Baldwin, DH Baldwin (made in Arkansas since 2004, but discontinued in 2008), Cable, Ellington (only in 2003) made in China, Hamilton (replaced the Ellington in 2004 but discontinued in 2008), Howard grand pianos (made in Arkansas since 2006 but discontinued in 2008), Ivers & Pond, J & C Fischer, Kranich & Bach, Monarch, Mozart, Pianola, Pianovelle, Sargent; Wurlitzer and Chickering (both discontinued in 2008).

In 2008, Baldwin completely revamped its product line, moving all production of pianos to their factories in China (owned by Gibson Guitar Corp., Nashville, Tennessee). The company discontinued piano manufacturing at its last factory in the USA in Trumann, Arkansas in December 2008. However, it still serves as a distribution and service center for the U.S.

Baldwin’s Official Website: www.baldwinpiano.com