1890 Steinway Model F
I just picked up this 1890 Steinway Model F upright piano and it is remarkably clean and plays great. The case appears to be solid Brazilian rosewood, where I was expecting veneered. The left half has seen more sun and is faded, but it has been maintained and my piano tech pal — who pointed me at this one — just reshaped all of the hammers. It sounds great and I think this is the last piano I’ll ever need.
I contacted Steinway and they confirmed the year, build and also told me it was shipped to St. Louis for a frontier distribution company in October of 1890. Very likely this piano was sold to an upper-middle class family in a city like Denver. There, this instrument would be the centerpiece of family entertainment, the way that television is today. The market for the latest cool songs on sheet music thrived. This beautiful piano represents that history of music bringing people together.