Gallery of Steinway Pianos

DE 745 Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte and stool. Serial number 94163. 88 keys. 2 pedals.
Bought by us in Northcliff, Johannesburg.
The date on the metal frame shows it being cast on the 31st of December 1898.
This is a monumentally sized piano at 137 cm tall.
Flame mahogany casing.
The case has been slightly altered, the legs are incorrect, the top panel should have fluted pilasters and detail, the top should have mouldings.
These parts are unobtainable and will have to be manufactured using photographs of a correct piano as the template.
The action is in good condition however we are not happy with some of the details and materials so will be restoring it back to correct.
Fortunately, the ivory keys are in remarkably good condition and are all original.
We will not be re-polishing the case except for the replacement parts, as it retains a wonderful patina built up over 120 odd years.
Should anyone show interest pre-restoration we will happily discuss this at a much lower value.
Upright Steinways are rare. This will be a magnificent instrument with great potential and can be considered by any serious player and collector.
It will certainly have a story to tell.

DE 751 Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool. This compact piano has a walnut casing and is designed in the Art Deco style. Even though it is a smaller piano it still has a remarkable tone and on the piano it states that it has an acceerated action and one can really feel this in its very quick response. This is a proper, professional, premier standard of piano that would suit any player.

DE 782 Steinway and Sons Upright pianoforte and stool.

DE 786 Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 217 032. This Model K Vertegrand piano was manufactured in New York, in 1923. Its casing has been re-polished to a high-gloss black finish (2019) – view how the side and top of the piano almost disappears as it reflects the light wall behind the piano. The back of this piano is in excellent condition – there is no need to spoil the originality. This is a top model Steinway Upright. The action is being refurbished to include new hammers and damper felts. The keys retain their ivory coverings. This piano has 88 keys and 2 pedals. The dimensions of this piano are: a height of 132 cm, a width of 154 cm and a depth of 68.5 cm.

DE 791 Steinway and Sons upright piano and stool. Serial number: 291307. Model Z Steinways are extremely scarce. This Model Z Steinway was built in Hamburg, Germany in 1938. This is often considered the Golden Age of piano building, the time, effort and expense attached to instruments of this period is unsurpassed. The quality of design, materials and craftsmanship has surely never been exceeded. This remarkably modern-looking and compact Steinway is something special! Smaller German Steinways are especially rare in South Africa, and this clean design in gloss black (re-polished October 2019) is superb. The phrase “quality speaks for itself ” has never been truer. The piano somehow draws one to it. A typical Steinway touch, on the heavier side, with an amazing action make this a consideration for any serious player. It has a wonderful, rich medium tone range with lots of potential for expression. The piano has 88 keys, with the naturals in original ivory, and 2 pedals. The dimensions of this piano are a: height of 115 cm; width of 150.5 cm and depth of 60.5 cm.

DE 792 Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool.
This Steinway Upright is an exemplary example of the prestigious make of piano, that with it being a Model K – it is largely considered to be the ultimate upright piano, the benchmark piano. It was built in 1925, in Hamburg, Germany.
The casing is finished with a high-gloss ebony, currently the most sought after appearance. It is really difficult to take photographs of proper high gloss finishes – as one can tell looking at the ones with this piano – and it can be difficult seeing refined details. This is one of the most scarce pianos in the market.
A new Model K Steinway Upright Piano would be in excess of R 500 000.00.

DE 793 Steinway and Sons upright piano and stool. Serial number 107496. This Steinway was built in Hamburg, in 1902. The piano has a Rosewood casing with an outstanding patina, developed to this gleaming finish by well over 100 years of care and polishing. It is rare to find an original finish on a piano of this age in such beautiful condition. Steinway is generally considered as the top piano maker. The action has had work done previously, including general service work and new hammer heads. The dampers are original as is the balance of the mechanism. It retains in addition it’s ivory clad keyboard in excellent condition. The tone is exceedingly rich and mellow with a powerful expression when needed. What an amazing piece.The piano has 88 keys – with a heavier typically Steinway touch, which is an unusual feel for an upright, giving the feel of something closer to a grand touch – and 2 pedals. The dimensions of this piano are: a height of 125 cm, a width of 156 cm and a depth of 70.5 cm.

DE 795 Steinway and Sons Pianola Upright Pianoforte.

A pianola is a piano equipped to be played automatically using a piano roll. This is one of those magical pianos that one watches and listens to in wonder as it comes alive like a ghost is playing music. It is a phenomenal attribute for the time in which it was manufactured.

Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte and stool. Serial number: 103012. This piano was manufactured in Hamburg in 1901. This incredible find is what a piano lover and restorer lives for! It is a rosewood-cased upright with inlays and boxwood banding. Very thankfully, the casing is as original and undamaged. We certainly would not re-polish this, but simply tidy up and liven the wonderful patina developed over 120 years. The back of the piano is sound and also untouched. The tuning pins are extremely firm, with merely one replacement treblestring! This is surely a testament to the extreme quality of a piano which has been lauded since it’s maker’s inception into piano building. The action required some restoration, one must have sound hammers and felts to achieve the best tone and touch. This is a piano which despite it’s antiquity must be played seriously, without caution.
The piano has 88 keys; with ivory. This piano, previously referenced DE 703, was sold during June 2021.

Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool. Serial number 400 267. This Model V Steinway was built in Hamburg, Germany in 1967. This is surely one of the best upright pianos for sale in the country at present. Steinways in general are very scarce and difficult to come-by, and an exceptional example like this is most unusual. Mahogany, high-gloss casing, exterior and interior totally original and undamaged, one-piece ivory keyboard all original. Search the world to find better! A one-owner-family since new, and re-sold in 2018, previously referenced DE 794.

Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 170235. This oak-cased piano was built in Hamburg, Germany in 1915. The piano has ivory keys. The dimensions of this piano are a height of 131.5 cm, a width of 154 cm and a depth of 69.5 cm. Previously referenced DE 732, this piano was sold in October 2018.

Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte with stool. This Model N Steinway was built in 1941, in New York. Walnut casing in art-deco style, app. 118 cm tall. Incredible original condition. One owner from new. Amazing tone, “accelerated action”. This piano really is beautiful because of the refined detail in its structure including its refined legs, fold-out music desk and key fall. Previously referenced DE 793, this piano was sold in December 2017.

Steinway and Sons Upright Pianoforte. Manufactured in 1896. Although rather antique and masculine in structure, the details on the front panel of this piano are delicate and lovely. We no longer have this beautiful piano as we sold a number of years ago. 

DE 904 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with matching stool. Built in New York in 1933. Model M. Mahogany casing. This piano has been refurbished to include new hammer shanks and flanges. Ivory keys. A one-family owned instrument from new.

DE 905 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. This Model O Steinway Grand Piano was manufactured in Hamburg, Germany in 1952. Steinway refer to the Model O as the ‘living room grand’ as it is the most substantial in size of Steinway’s “small grands”. The piano has a walnut casing and is approximately 180 cm in length and 147 cm in width. The piano has a full, rich sound and all of the character one expects from the renowned maker.

DE 909 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Serial number 291133. This is an exceptionally rare “modern” model S grand, built in 1938. The case-design is extremely unusual, so much so that we nor otherinterested parties at the time the piano was offered for sale, believed it to be original, however the authenticity was confirmed by Steinways themselves, and the casing is correct.It is a New York edition. Steinway grands tend to look like Steinway grands -with the exception of veneer choices, finished colour, and occasional Chippendale (Cabriole leg) models – most follow the same pattern. To find something like this is remarkable, and it might be said, not to be repeated, in South Africa. Being a true statement piece, retaining its design presence and collectible appeal, this surely has to be an investment for the future.
The casing is currently in walnut, according to the previous owner, his dad received it in black, and Steinway’s report confirms this, so it is probably not in its original guise. It could be taken back to black if required, however it looks wonderful as it stands.
There is no major internal work needed, again, we would rather see the original integrity of the instrument kept and restoring it should detract from the value rather than add to it.

DE 912 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. This is a Model S (what is commonly referred to as a ‘baby grand’) and has a mahogany casing. The piano has a width of approximately 1.5 m and a depth of approximately 1.6 m.

DE 913 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 256 103; Model M. This piano was built in Hamburg, Germany, in 1927. It has a mahogany casing that is a hand- finished French polish, giving a lower lustre, more authentic look, which is less perfect than a sprayed one but has an obvious, natural appeal. This is another exceptionally nice, original piano. The piano has had practically no repair work bar a major service. Unspoilt examples like this are increasingly rare and show all of the character the Steinway make still retains.

DE 914 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 388838. Built in Hamburg in the 1964. Model S. This small grand piano has a high-gloss black casing. We chose to use this piano in our home before it was hired out. The sound projected by it is remarkable!

DE 915 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Model M, built in Hamburg in 1928, serial number 261 760. Mahogany casing. The Eshelby family have sold, serviced and maintained this piano over a period of 55 years, it giving sterling service in serious use, a great commendation for the brand if ever there was one!

DE 922 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 219271. This Model M, 170 cm, Steinway was built in New York in 1923. It has a walnut casing and looks quite different. This piano has been extensively restored. The work done includes new hammers, shanks and flanges, new keytops, damper felts, repolishing and so on. It has a very bright, lively tone of great clarity as per the U.S. Steinway taste. The piano has 88 keys and 3 pedals.

DE 929 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte and stool. Serial number 180905. This Model A Steinway Grand was manufactured in Hamburg in 1901. It has 88 keys and 3 pedals. Bought from photos only, we purchased this wonderful piano from its owner, situated in Bela Bela. He had inherited it from his Aunt. While in need of full restoration, its current condition is as we like to find them: previously unrestored and not damaged by prior restoration, making it a very exciting rebuild. We had expected far worse after seeing the photos. It even retains what appears to be its original adjustable stool. I suspect the Rosewood veneer may be underneath the ebonised finish, and if so we could choose to retain that look.
The ivory keys are very scruffy, but intact and will certainly be restored. This is a truly wonderful find. A barn-find of the piano world so to speak. A full and proper restoration is to be undertaken in time, with genuine replacement parts.
This piano will be of a very high standard and will suit any serious player. What a privilege to own something like this with such history.

DE 930 Steinway Grand Pianoforte and stool. Serial number: 393074; Model S. This piano was manufactured in Hamburg, Germany, and was imported and sold by Bothners in November, 1969, for R 2996.00, to the family who sold it on to us recently (August 2018). This is a very late model Steinway in South African terms, given how few were brought into and remain in the country. The piano is in an untouched state presently. We will have to re-polish the mahogany casing as the original polyester finish has cracked, a common problem with that finish over time. If purchased before doing so, we’d like to offer the buyer the choice of finish. The soundboard and components are in good condition, the soundboard varnish shows crackling, this is not detrimental, nor unusual, but we will probably re-do the varnish as it doesn’t add to the aesthetic value of such a beautiful instrument. The ivory keys are in wonderful condition without any replacement or chipping. The action is in excellent condition, as are the felts. It would be entirely unnecessary to replace anything but the whole system will of course be fully serviced.

DE 931 Steinway and Sons Pianoforte and stool. Model A. Serial number 360595. This Model A Steinway Grand Piano was manufactured in Hamburg in 1958. It has 88 keys; 3 pedals and original ivory keys. The ebonised casing has been re-polished. This done many years ago. We feel that the job done was a good one and do not see the need or warrant in re-polishing it again, however, we do intend to tidy it in a few areas. The fall-board name, inlaid in brass, has been poorly done (a notoriously difficult job!) and will be re-done. The internals are completely as per factory without replacements or restoration. The soundboard shows signs of varnish spider-webbing (probably not the correct technical term) and we will probably re-do the varnish, in which case the frame and strings will be removed and replaced with new tuning pins. We would choose not to re-guild the metal frame as I prefer the original look of the existing paint. The action and keys are in wonderful condition. The hammers honestly show hardly any string indentations and we would therefore not replace any of these parts, but will of course carry out a full service procedure. The piano was purchased new by the seller’s father, sourced by him while in Germany, imported and placed in the family’s Bryanston home, from where we removed it, some 60 years later! Larger model Steinways are extremely rare in South Africa and the purchase of this one was keenly sought and relatively hard-won. It has been many years since we last owned a Model A. We did not get the original stool with the piano, it having being kept with an antique stool instead. We will thus replace this with another.

DE 939 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Serial number: 284962. This Model S-155 Steinway piano was manufactured in New York, in 1936 and has a mahogany casing. American Steinways have a particularly light feel in their case design, having less chunky square tapered legs on spade feet than German models and the squared off rather than rounded cheeks give a very clean look. We obtained the piano from a gentleman who inherited the family farm in the Northern Cape where it had been housed for as long as anyone could remember. It wasn’t working properly and that with the difficult location probably explains the lack of use. This is a piano with an amazing tone, completely original in condition. We see no point in doing any major work; rather, we see great value in keeping it as original. The tone and feel of this piano is what Steinway felt it should be when it left the factory. The only major refurbishment we intend on doing is to re-polish the casing and original stool.  We would like to await a buyer who can choose their preferred re-polishing option as this is a blank canvas at this stage. It would also suit a black finish, but we are always considerate of the extra care taken in building pianos in a wood rather than painted finish. The ivory keys are in superb condition and the piano shows very little wear. The piano has 88 keys and 3 pedals. It is a wonderful thing!

DE 944 SteinwayGrand Pianoforte and stool. This magnificent Model D Concert Grand is 274 cm in length and 156 cm in width. This is the ‘pinnacle of concert grands’ in terms of quality with the additional grandeur of its refined details! We will be adding many more details about this piano as time allows.

DE 991 Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Model O, built in Hamburg in 1958. The most amazing mahogany casing. Absolutely sublime tone. Ivory keys and originality, just as it should be.

Steinway and Sons (was JAE 519) Grand Pianoforte with stool. Built in Hamburg in 1965. Model M. Serial No. . Walnut casing with original stool. This is one of the nicest examples of the make we have had, appearance is “as new”, requiring no restoration, just a proper service and regulation. This piano was sold in August 2016.

Steinway and Sons Grand Pianoforte with stool. Built in New York in 1891. Model B. Rosewood casing with massive turned legs, ornate music desk. This piano has been in the Eshelby home for many years; it was reluctantly sold in July 2016.