The Central Piano-Forte Company is first listed in 1867 as “Makers Of First Class Piano Fortes”. The firm was made up of a group of disgruntled Steinway employees who ventured out on their own to build high quality instruments, primarily square grand pianos. Their first factory was located at 87 East 22nd Street, New York City. The firm was so successful that in only two short years the firm had become the 25th largest piano manufacturing company in the United States!

A large part of the company’s business was manufacturing and selling instruments to large retailers under “private labeling”.  Private labeling allowed a retailers name to be affixed to the instrument, giving the impression to the consumer that the retailer manufactured their own line of instruments.

It appears that The Central Piano-Forte Company primarily built square grand pianos, and possibly a line of uprights as well. The popularity of the square piano diminished as the 19th Century came to a close, and the Central Piano-Forte Company was out of business by about 1880.