Heintzman & Co. vs Gerhardt Heinzman

[shio2010]

When it comes to used vintage/antique uprights, I've been warned specifically to avoid G Heintzman pianos, whereas other Heintzmans (H & Co.) are desireable.

Why would this be, and what's your opinion, please?

[silverwoodpianos]

Not much is known about Gerhard Heintzman even by the remaining Heintzman family members that I know.

He was the nephew of Theodore Heintzman, and established a business separate and distinct from that of his uncle.

 Born October 6th 1845, Gerhard was originally a cabinet maker that crossed over and learned to make pianos in his native country and then later in NY. This is why many of the instruments he made had unusual or spectacular cabinetry.

About 1881 he made his way to Toronto and established what was to become a thriving Canadian piano business.

An 1894 company catalogue of which I have a copy reveals prominent aspects of Heintzman’s early activity.

While not heavily involved in the export business Heintzman did have branch outlets in Ontario and supplied large outlets in cities from Quebec to Manitoba.

Several important patents were granted to Gerhard between the years of 1882-1900
Close to 40,000 instruments were produced by the company until Gerhard’s death in 1926.

Charles Heintzman (son of the now long dead Theodore) over at Heintzman & Co purchased the assets and ran the name until 1928 or so.

From 1955-1960 the Senecal & Quidoz Piano Co. of St Therese de Blainville used the name Gerhard.

Of medium quality the Gerhard Heintzman pianos have not aged well. But this claim can be made of a lot of early piano builders; remember that each piano is and individual case and lasting quality must be determined by care and use of each piece of equipment.

In other words I have seen Gerhard Heintzman’s that are basket cases and many that are not.

I have also come across many Heintzman & Co instruments that are in poor shape too.

Remember this is important: Each piano must be judged upon it own merits, not by reputation.

Here is an interesting bit of history regarding G. Heintzman and several of the other top Canadian piano makers:

Between the years of 1896 and 1890 there was a short-lived company in Canada but one with a fascinating pedigree. This firm was a collaborative effort between Gerhard Heintzman, Samuel and Albert Nordheimer. The Nordheimer brothers Samuel and Abraham (Albert’s father) had operated a music and instrument business from 1840, although they did not produce their own pianos until 50 years later in the 1890’s. The brand name Nordheimer is the longest lasting name in Canadian music history.

These two companies formed the Lansdowne Piano Co. along with Tom Mason & Vincent Risch (Mason & Risch Piano Co) and Octavius Newcombe (Newcombe Piano Co.) who were already making pianos of their own.

So all these guys who were the top of the Canadian piano industry hired a group of tradesmen in 1886 and virtually cleaned up the Ontario region for 5 years or more with the Lansdowne product.

In 1890 Gerhard took most of the staff and drawings, left the collaboration and formed the Gerhard Heintzman Piano Co.

Bitter about the split the Nordheimers built their own factory and became a solid competitor.

[silverwoodpianos]

The Heintzman & Co with the Patented Agraffe Bridge is considered the Rolls –Royce of the Canadian Piano industry. This is the top of the line instrument of which the scale drawings were made by Theodore Heintzman on his kitchen table in 1896.

This instrument catapulted Heintzman & Co the top of the heap for the next 75 years, although you might get some argument from RS Williams about that statement……and some other Canadian piano builder of the same time period.…..