Etsey

New York, USA

Jacob Estey was born in New Hampshire in 1814. He began making organs in an organ factory in 1846, under the name Estey Organ Corporation. They were known for their quality. It seems this factory ceased production in 1903. Etsey built a factory in New York and founded the Estey Piano Corporation in 1869. They produced quality instruments, in particular 270cm concert pianos with powerful clear sound, made skilfully by hand. The US factory made grand and upright pianos for a number of subsidiary brands sold on the American market, but very few were imported to Europe. In 1917 the firm was sold by its owner. It was sold again in 1927 and again in 1965 to an aviation manufacturer and closed in 1967. By that time, the firm had produced 191,000 pianos. The brand name was bought by a furniture maker in 1978, and production continued until the factory was completely destroyed by lightening in 1982.