John Kearsing
arrived 1802
pianoforte maker
founder
Biography
John Kearsing arrived in New York in 1802, earlier than fellow piano-makers Waites and Chartres, and began business at the corner of the Bowery and North Street. He went on to found John Kearsing & Sons, a firm that, according to Spillane, led the New York piano trade for many years, up to 1830, although its annual output of instruments was perhaps insignificant by modern standards. The Kearsing family firm, later continued as T. Kearsing & Sons, remained in the trade directory until 1840.
Highlights
- Arrived in New York in 1802 and began business at Bowery corner North, earlier than fellow makers Waites and Chartres.
- His firm, John Kearsing & Sons, led the New York piano trade in longevity up to 1830, though annual output was modest.
Source
Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), p. 106.
Public domain.