1863

Henry F. Miller & Sons of Boston, USA, was established.

1864

Anton Petrov founded his piano making firm in Czechoslovakia.

1864

Kranich & Bach, NY, USA was established, specialising in small grands.

1866

Nathaniel Berry Pianos were established. In 1965 Barratt & Robinson Ltd. purchased them.

1866

The last square piano to be made by Broadwood. It was dropped because the cottage piano was more popular in the home.

1870

Harry Brasted started up his piano making firm, using a piano with a compass of over seven octaves. In 1916 the company made parts for biplanes to help the war effort. In 1925 Brasted's bought up Eavestaff's. In 1928 Brasted merged with Boyd Ltd. In 1934 they introduced the Minipiano. Percy Brasted had discovered a miniature piano made by Messrs. Lundholm of Stockholm, from whom Brasted's bought the rights. The piano was then made only in England. Lundholm contracted to import them and receive a royalty on sales.

Percy Brasted gave it the name Minipiano and it is sometimes claimed that it was his invention. Sales topped 7,000 at 28-38 guineas each. Early models had the wrest plank below the keyboard and the drop action at the rear, so that the hammers struck forwards towards the player. Wedging was unnecessary, as half the strings were monochords and the rest bichords. The wrest pins passed through the wrest plank and were double-ended to allow for stringing at the back. If a string has to be replaced, the coils have to be put on in the opposite direction, and if the piano is chipped up from the back the pins are turned anti-clockwise to raise the pitch. Also, from this position, the bass will be on the right-hand side and treble to the left. Jack Davis, who worked for Brasteds, later designed a flanged iron frame to which the case would be built, enabling higher string tension and reducing the width by about eight inches.

Other makers soon copied the braceless back. With the soundboard now forming the back of the piano, the action could be put in its traditional position, but of course, below the keys. Wires were attached to the backs of the keys to pull up the wippens and trichord stringing was re-introduced. Lastly, to achieve longer bass strings, a sort of triangular action was made, with the treble strike line being horizontal, but the bass section tapering down to the left. The early type of Minipiano has often been criticised, but it should not be forgotten that it did much to maintain and even stimulate interest in an industry which was being hit by the gramophone and the radio. The name Eavestaff was used on the fall on the instrument. Americans usually know small uprights by the name spinet, which is neither accurate nor helpful.

The Challen company ceased independent manufacture in 1959, with the name going to the Brasted brothers.

At the end of 1970 a new company formed by John Brasted marketed Eavestaff pianos. The pianos were to be made under licence by Kemble & Co. As with Challen's for some years previously, Eavestaff pianos were made at the Barratt & Robinson factory, Hermitage Road, Harringay.

1870

Shenstone & Co. a piano key maker, was established. Many piano makers used their keys, including Cramer, Kemble, Rogers, Knight's and Challen.

1871

Albion Pianoforte was founded in London.

1871

Bohemia Pianos was founded, in the town of Jihlava, Czech Republic. Around 1924 in collaboration with Viennese piano makers Bohemia Pianos started to make the Hofmann & Czerny, employing some fifty workers.

1871

The Royal Albert Hall was opened, with a seating capacity of 10,000. Thomas Chappell was one of the original governors.

1872

Smith, Barnes & Stroeber was established. They seemed to stop making pianos in 1920. The pianos were made in Clybourn, Chicago, USA. In 1884 the name became Smith and Barnes.

1872

Sohmer, NY, USA, was established. Hugo Sohmer was the inventor and the first person to build a five-foot baby grand in the USA.

1872

Steinway patented the duplex scale. Bearing bars on the dead length of strings were used to help towards the production of definite harmonies.

1872