Mason & Hamlin - "World's Finest Pianos"
Many hundreds of piano companies thrived during the 19th and early 20th centuries, yet Mason & Hamlin Pianos is one of only a few to still survive. They continue to build beautiful pianos that produce spectacular piano music.
Headquartered in Haverhill, Massachusettes, the Mason & Hamlin piano company was originally located in Boston, the birthplace of American piano manufacturing and design. The company was founded in 1854 by Henry Mason and Emmons Hamlin to specialize in manufacturing a new musical instrument known as a "organ harmonium".
After several years of building award winning organs, in 1881, the company decided to begin making pianos. Their pianos were the world's costliest pianos to build, and widely considered to be the finest pianos in the world.
Piano virtuoso Harold Bauer once proclaimed “The Mason and Hamlin pianos represent the most perfect example of the piano maker’s art. They are the most supremely beautiful instruments that I know."
Composer Maurice Ravel is quoted as saying “While preserving all the qualities of the percussion instrument, the Mason & Hamlin pianoforte also serves magnificently the composer’s concept by its extensive range in dynamics, as well as quality of tone. It is not short of being a small orchestra. In my opinion, the Mason & Hamlin is a real work of art.”
Today, Mason & Hamlin is owned by PianoDisc, a manufacturer of computerized player systems for acoustic pianos and owned by brothers Gary and Kirk Burgett.
Before a Mason & Hamlin piano is approved to leave the factory, it is inspected no less than twelve times. The company gives great attention to detail in the creation of each of their pianos, which are limited to an annual production of no more than 50 upright pianos and 300 grand pianos.