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Albrecht, Riekes & Schmidt
Charles Albrecht was one of the earliest names in the American Piano Industry. Albrecht entered into the piano business in Philadelphia in 1789, first selling pianos imported from Europe then manufacturing his own. The oldest known Albrecht piano in existence today is located in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
In about 1825, Charles Albrecht’s son, Christian F. L. Albrecht, joined his fathers firm which was then called “Charles Albrecht & Company“. Charles Albrecht & Company built primarily square grand pianos during the first and middle part of the 19th Century, and the firm enjoyed a reputation of superior quality and craftsmanship. In about 1863, Christian F. L. Albrecht went into partnership with Frederick Riekes and Richard T. Schmidt to form the firm of “Albrecht, Riekes & Schmidt”.  Albrecht, Riekes & Schmidt enjoyed much success, but Albrecht withdrew in 1874 to go back to building pianos under the name of “Albrecht & Company”.
In 1887, the Blasius & Sons Piano Company purchased the Charles Albrecht Company, and they continued to build the Albrecht name in upright and grand pianos well into the 20th Century. They were very expensive, high grade pianos, and they were built in modest numbers. Like Blasius, Albrecht pianos of the late 19th and 20th Centuries were of superior quality and were very heavy, durable instruments. Blasius and Albrecht names were discontinued sometime in the middle of the 20th Century, but the rights to the names were purchased in the 1990’s and are again being produced in new pianos.
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