Charles Pfriemer

Biography

Charles Pfriemer, another Steinway graduate, was born in 1842 near the castle of Hohenzollern in Germany. He served as a soldier during the Austro-Prussian War before emigrating to America in late 1866. A cabinetmaker by trade, he learned hammer making at Steinway & Sons and later took charge of the hammer department at Albert Weber's factory. In 1874 he started his own business, becoming among the first to use iron hammer-covering machines. He achieved an enviable reputation for producing a distinctive pear-shaped hammer and built up a large, lucrative business. He died in 1908, and the business was carried on by his two sons.

Highlights

• Born 1842 near the castle of Hohenzollern, Germany; served as a soldier in the Austro-Prussian War before emigrating to America in 1866.
• Learned hammer making at Steinway & Sons, then headed the hammer department at Albert Weber's factory.
• Started his own hammer-making business in 1874, among the first to use iron hammer-covering machines, and became known for a distinctive pear-shaped hammer.

Source

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911).

Public domain.