Pianos made by: Ed. Seiler Pianofortefabrik, Kitzingen, Germany,
with Samick Musical Instrument Mfg. Co. Ltd., Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
Eduard Seiler established his piano company in 1849 at Wilhelmstrasse 17-19 in Liegnitz, Germany. His goal as a piano maker was to build pianos for both professional use as well as for the average, middle class home. He did this with great care using high quality materials, handcrafted in his small workshop.
Despite the setback of wars from about 1864 to 1871, Seiler flourished receiving several awards for excellence and expanding his operations to a larger factory by 1873. When Eduard died in 1875, his sons, Max and Paul, took over the firm. Max and Paul died young, but the youngest son, Johannes Seiler had been learning the business at his father’s factory and other factories throughout Europe, and the piano building craft by completing an apprenticeship. Johannes then took over the company in 1879, and the Seiler company soon became one of Germany’s leading manufacturers, winning a series of awards at worldwide exhibitions. Expansion continued over the next several decades with new factories and international success.
In 1923 Anton Seiler-Dutz, Johannes Seiler’s son-in-law, took control of thecompany, continuing success with Seiler becoming the largest piano manufacturer in Eastern Germany. The factory at Liegnitz was nationalized by the communist government after World War II, but the invaluable moulds, drawings and designs of their rich history of piano building were saved by Anton’s son, Steffan. Steffan left Liegnitz (now part of Poland), moving the company to Copenhagen, Denmark in 1945, where he started to build pianos again until 1960. In 1963 production was moved to Kitzingen, Germany, where it remains to this day. In 1999 Steffan died and the firm was then run by his wife, Ursula Seiler.
In 2008 Seiler was sold to Korean firm, Samick Music Corp., who agreed to manufacture pianos of the highest quality, to continue the tradition of the Seiler name.
Official Website: http://www.seiler-pianos.de/en/homepage.html
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