One of the most innovative and advanced piano makers of the 19th Century was The Kranich & Bach Piano Company of New York. Kranich & Bach was established in 1864, and they were known for building extremely well made, expensive pianos. They were known for their lavish use of exotic woods and extravagant cabinet styles, as well as their superior tone and construction.

By 1891, Kranich & Bach claimed to have built and sold as many as 25,000 pianos worldwide. Kranich & Bach was awarded many patents throughout the 19th & 20th Centuries, many of which are considered well ahead of their time.

In the early 20th Century Kranich & Bach produced a line of very small baby grand pianos called the “Grandette”. These pianos were designed to get the most tone and volume possible from a very small instrument. The Grandette was quite popular and sold very well.

Kranich & Bach put a substantial amount of thought and consideration into the design of their pianos. The firm carried out extensive experimentation at considerable expense in order to achieve a superior product. Though unique in design, a professionally restored Kranich & Bach piano can be an exceptional instrument overall.

Like so many other American piano companies, Kranich & Bach was taken over by the huge Aeolian-American Corporation, and they continued to build Kranich & Bach pianos until the 1980s.