Petrof Family Brands
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ETROF Company was founded in 1864 and has become one of the
PETROF pianos are considered to be among the finest pianos produced in the world today.
leading European piano manufacturers. Nowadays company exports to
The beauty of PETROF pianos is exceeded only by their romantic sound and superb touch.
more than 70 countries and its largest export markets include Russia, Japan, China, Australia, Germany, Italy Taiwan and Hong Kong. During its 146 years of operations, PETROF has produced over 600 000 instruments. Production methods have quickly developed over the past decades permitting a substantial increase in production while retaining the traditional handicraft skills of highly qualified and creative specialists. It is still necessary to carry out the assembly and critical operations manually. The precision of industrial production using up-to-date digital machinery is inextricably linked to the professional skills of the most experienced craftsmen to give the instrument the uncompromising quality, special features and characteristic tender, romantic and noble sound inherent in PETROF pianos.
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PETROF pianos are built almost exclusively by hand by highly trained PROFESSIONAL artisan craftsmen. All PETROF pianos are produced exclusively in our EUROPEAN factory. PETROF has been building pianos in the TRADITIONAL European manner for 147 years. All of these steps are integral to the creation of the beautiful and distinctive ROMANTIC sound which is PETROF. PETROF remains ONE OF THE FINEST PIANOS built in the world. PETROF is today one of the few piano builders in the world that is still owned and operated by FAMILY MILY members of the original founders.
Pet ro f Fa m i l y B r a n d s
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1839 – Birth of the company founder Antonín Petrof. 1857 – Antonín Petrof goes to Vienna to learn how to build grand pianos at the companies: HEITZMAN, EHRBAR, SCHWEIGHOFER.
1994 – A new modern research centre is opened with its own large-capacity free-field measuring chamber, the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic.
1864 – Hradec Králové – construction of the first concert grand piano.
1997 – Továrna na pianina, a. s. is established in Hradec Králové. vé.
1865 – Antonín Petrof transforms his father’s joinery workshop into a piano maker’s workshop in the old town behind the Cathe-
1998 – Privatisation of the company by PETROF, spol. s r. o. is finalised.
dral of the Holy Ghost – the first grand piano is built.
1999 – 135th anniversary of establishment of the PETROF company. mpany.
1866 – Austro-Prussian battle at Hradec Králové – production is interrupted.
2001 – PETROF, spol. s r. o. – the factory passed successfully intoo the hands of the Petrof family, the 5th generation enters.
1874 – The company relocates to a new property outside of the city in the direction of Brno; apart from upright pianos, the com-
2003 – Magnetic accelerated action is patented.
pany also starts making bourdons.
2004 – The first instrument using MAA action is built and presented esented at Frankfurt 2004 in Germany.
1880 – A subsidiary in Temesvar in Hungary is opened.
140th anniversary of establishment of the PETROF company mpany – Mgr. Zuzana Ceralová –
1881 – The company starts keyboard production and the construction of action.
Petrofová (5th generation) becomes president of the company ompany – production of upright and
1883 – Production of upright pianos is introduced. 1895 – The company starts exporting instruments, and a warehouse and service centre are established in Vienna. 1899 – Antonín Petrof is appointed by the Emperor as court piano-builder for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and secret councillor. Both titles are la ter transferred to his sons. 1908 – The company is transformed into a limited liability company, and Marie Petrofová is the confidential clerk. Not only the founder, but also his sons Jan, Jan, Antonín and from 1914 the youngest Vladimír (2nd generation) work for the company. 1915 – Antonín Petrof and his wife Marie die. Throughout the years of the war, the company is managed by the youngest son Vladimír. 1924 – Production of electro-pneumatic pianos and later radio-acoustic pianos is introduced. Exports to Japan, China, Australia and South America. 1928 – PETROF together with the significant American manufacturer STEINWAY open a subsidiary in London at Wigmore Street. The company management enlarges the company administration with the 3rd Petrof generation: Dimitrij, Eduard and Eugene. 1934 – GRAND PRIX – PETROF instruments win the gold medal at the world EXPO in Brussels. 400 people work at the factory. 1948 – Nationalisation of the factory. The Petrofs’ property and rights are confiscated. 1954 – A development department for upright pianos and grand pianos is established.
grand piano action of private construction is renewed. 2005 – Mgr. Zuzana Ceralová – Petrofová is appointed president nt of the European Federation of Music Instrument Manufacturers – CAFIM. 2006 – Production series of 5 grand piano sizes, addition of the P 210 Pasat and PETROF VI concert pianos. Upon request from the he customer, it is possible to fit the instrument with its own magagnetically balanced keyboard. 2007 – PETROF instruments are marked with the new seal of EUUROPEAN EXCELLENCE (acronym EEX). This brand emphahasises the European origin of the instrument and guaranntees a long lifetime, expert service and high user value. Custom piano building for the most demanding customers, ers, Storm concert grand piano. 2008 – Opening of the subsidiary PETROF USA, new P 237 Monsoon, nsoon, P 173 Breeze and P 159 Bora grand pianos. 2009 – Completion of the new generation of PETROF grand pianos. nos. Cooperation with an
1958 – Bourdon production is stopped – the PETROF Mondial grand piano wins the gold medal at EXPO Brussels.
audio-legend Mark Levinson (cabinets for speakers for high-end audio system
1991 – Ing. Jan Petrof (4th generation) takes over after 43 years of totalitarian regime – start of the privatisation process.
DANIEL HERTZ).
Pet ro f Fa m i l y B r a n d s
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e have been producing upright pianos and grand pianos with un-
player as well as the budding young artist can choose oose their pianos from our product
mistakable sound and design for you since 1864. Our production
line. All PETROF brand instruments are made in the e Hradec KrĂĄlovĂŠ plant in the Czech
program includes a wide range of products ranging from master pianos for large
Republic, EUROPE. As such they are of purely European ropean origin, which gives PETROF
concert hall venues to upright pianos for schools and home interiors.
the right to use the EUROPEAN EXCELLENCE trademark. demark. Any other piano of foreign
Our instrument production is based on traditional hand techniques with a focus on the resulting tone color and high quality surface treatment. The demanding concert
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production bearing the PETROF logo is in breach h of the sovereign licence rights of PETROF, spol. s r. o
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ösler upright pianos are designed in the R & D center of The PETROF Company. They are produced according to the technical specifications of PETROF’s Department of Construction and Technology and production is supervised by experts from The PETROF Company. The history of The Rösler Company and brand extends back to the second half of the 19th century and begins with the large Rösler family from north Bohemia and Saxony. The year 1878 is considered the official date that the Rösler factory was founded by Gustav Rösler. Ludwik Gatter bought the company from his sister Helena Rösler in 1900 and successfully marketed his instruments internationally. Rösler instruments were sold as far away as Great Britain and South Africa. The company flourished after the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia. Ludwik Rösler died in 1928 but left two able successors, his sons Reiner and Walter. Both were top piano experts and first-class designers as well as efficient businessmen who exported Rösler pianos to 18 European countries. During the 70 year activity of the Rösler family factory, the Rösler brand built such a strong market position that its reputation survived for an additional 60 years after the factory closure. More than 115 years from its creation, the Rösler brand was acquired by PETROF, a leading European piano manufacturer. RÖSLER PIANOS ARE SUITABLE FOR PRACTICING, FOR BEGINNERS, INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS AND SCHOOLS.
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cholze upright pianos are designed in the R & D center of The PETROF Company. They are produced according to the technical specifications developed by the
Department of Construction and Technology of The PETROF Company. Scholze production is supervised by craftworkers of The PETROF Company. We can find the beginning of the Scholze family company and the Scholze brand in the late 19th century in the German-Czech border towns of Warnsdorf, Jiříkov and Ústí nad Labem. Interestingly, the company founder, Franz Scholze, entered the piano industry just by chance. Because he was manually skillful, a neighbour asked Franz to shorten his piano. Although he did not have any specific piano experience, he successfully managed to complete the task.. What is more, this craft interested him so much that he received training in piano building with several German companies and proceeded to establish his own piano company in 1876 (12 years after The PETROF Company had been established).
RÖSLER PIANOS ARE SUITABLE FOR PRACTICING, FOR BEGINNERS, INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS AND SCHOOLS.
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EINBACH piano is a convenient mid-range choice from the PETROF brand portfolio. Weinbach pianos have always been produced by The PETROF
Company in the Czech Republic. Pianos of the Weinbach brand are produced specifically to provide an affordable quality instrument choice to all players. In 1887, a craftsman Gerhard Wein established a workshop for the production of organs in Weinbach area. After a short time he hired two young assistants, workers who had been trained as piano builders in Wien (Vienna). Based on the new experience brought into his business, he refocused his entire production in 1893 to exclusively build pianos. His reputation for quality work began to spread throughout piano circles in Europe. He also began exporting to the American market. Both of his sons continued in the business. Other descendents devoted their lives to piano building also. That is why the Weinbach brand, even today, has an excellent image and Weinbach instruments have such an exceptional sound. At the end of the last century, The PETROF Company brought the Weinbach brand into its portfolio and has continued to evolve this instrument for our customers. WEINBACH PIANOS ARE SUITABLE FOR INTERMEDIATE PIANISTS, PIANO ENTHUSIASTS, SCHOOLS AND ALSO HOUSEHOLDS.
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ASIA EUROPE NORTH AMERICA
AFRICA
SOUTH AMERICA AUSTRALIA
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Pet ro f Fa m i l y B r a n d s
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www.petrof.com
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