Schoenhut still manufactures toy pianos in a variety of price ranges and models if you're not looking for an antique or vintage piece. Interestingly, while a full-size piano has seven and a half octaves, the Schoenhut's have from one and a half to three octaves, giving a limited but rich scope for the young minds to enjoy. The toy pianos have a varying number of octaves depending on the model, meaning depth and range can be instilled in young minds while they fiddle around mimicking their elders' play. The keys are correctly spaced on the keyboard so that proper finger placement is learned even during play. Despite their name, these pianos aren't mere toys and are considered to be authentic musical instruments by many collectors and musicians alike.Įach key on one of these antique instruments is chromatically tuned and able to create true notes. 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.īecause of Albert Schoenhut's unique way of creating his toy pianos (which the modern company still uses to some degree), the Schoenhut toy piano has become known as an innovative design which consistently has a unique, beautiful sound. Thus, the Schoenhut Piano Company began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1872. 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. 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.

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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. Over time, he perfected his technique, and his piano's quality rapidly increased. Albert Schoenhut, a German immigrant with a family tradition of toy making, began making toy pianos in his home at an early age.

What is the old tiny piano called