
For generations, children have loved mimicking their parents and older siblings by picking out tunes on their antique Schoenhut toy pianos. The sweet sounds of Beethoven's Ode to Joy have been carefully plucked in homes around the world on these musical toys for nearly two-hundred years. Considered by many to still be the ultimate toy piano, a Schoenhut is a great piece for any antique buff or music lover to find.
History of the Schoenhut Piano Company
Albert Schoenhut, a German immigrant with a family tradition of toy making, began making toy pianos in his home at an early age. Over time, he perfected his technique, and his piano's quality rapidly increased. Eventually, people who bought Schoenhut pianos were amazed by how they stayed in tune for years and years thanks to the precise way that Schoenhut made them.
John Dahl, a buyer for John Wanamaker and a prominent American figure and politician, heard of Schoenhut's amazing work and brought him to Philadelphia with a job offer. While working in Philadelphia at only 17 years-old, Schoenhut took the imported German toy pianos which had been broken during shipping and fixed them.
Thus, the Schoenhut Piano Company began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1872. Soon, more instruments and other toys were added to the company's roster and by 1900, the blistering operation was the largest manufacturer of toys in the United States.