Piano Masterpiece------------LINDEMAN & SONS

Founded in 1836, Lindeman & Sons is one of the earliest manufacturers in America. Among the great firms to whom is due to credit of establishing and developing the piano industry in America, the firm of Lindeman & Sons stands prominent. In the 19th century, the Company manufactured square-grand pianos which were famous for their absolute advantage on quality and fine craftsmanship. In the middle of 19th century, Lindeman deigned Cycloid piano, which was based on the then popular square grand piano design. Cycloid grand piano was especially popular within the period after civil war. The upright pianos were comparatively popular in 1880s. After 20th century, the Company produced series of upright pianos, play pianos and grand pianos. As described by American historian Butland Daniel: Lindeman is the first German piano manufacturer who immigrated successfully to America.

● 1794, William Lindeman was born in Jöhstadt, in eastern Saxony.

● 1812, he moved to Vienna, where he worked as a fine furniture maker. He worked in Munich as a piano-maker for about a year, and subsequently in for piano manufacturers Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig (Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig.), and Rosenkranz in Dresden.

● In 1836, Lindeman began manufacturing his own pianos.

● In 1849, Lindeman made his oldest son, Herman, a partner.

● Herman Lindeman patented a construction for cycloid pianos in 1860. The firm advertised that the cycloid was "the most elegant in shape, the most exquisite in tone, the strongest and most enduring piano manufactured in the world" .

● In 1864, sons Henry and Ferdinand joined the company, and it was reorganized as Lindeman & Sons.

● in 1874, Herman established a branch in Cincinnati, Ohio at 173 West Fourth street to promote their sales in western states.

● In early 1907, company incorporated with $100,000 capital (about 3oo million RMB in 2013 comparing the GDP of 1907 and 2013 of America, which was considerable for a company under the financial crisis of America in 1907), with Henry Lindeman as president.

● 1917, Lindeman & Sons' capital as $200,000.

● Henry Lindeman was struck and killed by an automobile April 14, 1920. The obituary in Presto described that at 81 he had still been "active and as interested in the product of his factory as when he was a young man." S. G. Lindeman succeeded him as president.

● In 1922, Lindeman & Sons with a capacity of 3000 pianos per year.

● The American Piano Corporation filed to use the Lindeman & Sons trademark in 1941.

● The trademark was assigned with the company's holdings to the Winter-controlled Aeolian-American Corporation in 1959.

● The name passed from Wurlitzer to Gibson and Baldwin between 2000 and 2002.

● 2005, The final owner of the Lindeman & Sons trademark is Burgett Brothers, Inc., of Haverhill, Massachusetts.