Theodore E. Steinway

Theodore E. Steinway

Theodore Edwin Steinway (born October 6, 1883 ; † April 8, 1957 ) came from the Steinway & Sons family of piano manufacturers and was a committed philatelist .

He was since 1912 a member of the New York Collectors Club (Collectors Club) and supported the club financially, including through the purchase of the library of Victor Suppantschitsch for the library of the association in 1922. The Collectors Club awarded him in 1952 as the first member of the Lichtenstein Award as thanks. He also supported the American Philatelic Foundation (German: Philatelic Foundation), of which he had been a member since 1945 and of which he later became chairman. He was also a judge for philatelic competition exhibitions and organized various stamp exhibitions, for example in 1913, 1926, 1936, 1947 and 1956 in New York.

With his specialty in music (e.g. pianos), Steinway was one of the very first motive stamp collectors . His collectibles also included postage stamps from old German states . He was close friends with Alfred F. Lichtenstein . His portrait is on a stamp of the Principality of Liechtenstein from 1972 ( Michel no. 572), which was issued as part of a stamp set with the name "Pioneers of Philately III".

job

Theodore E. Steinway had never attended university. He did a classical apprenticeship as a piano maker in the family business.

After the death of his uncle Frederick T. Steinway, he was suddenly and against his will appointed to the position of President of Steinway & Sons , because no other, more suitable Steinway name bearer was available. Theodore would have supported his older cousin Albert Vietor to become president, but he refused on the same grounds: the company must be run by a Mr. Steinway.

Theodore's presidency came at a time of great upheaval. The era of the player roll pianos came to an end, the radio emerged. The automobile, which in some cases only cost half as much as a Steinway grand piano, competed for the families' budgets. Theodore steered the company through the waters, which were particularly difficult from 1929 and after the Great Depression, but refused all advances to license the name "Steinway & Sons" lucratively for other products apart from pianos and he refused to do so Company for sale. There were several years in the 1930s when Theodore Steinway kept the Rikers and Ditmars factories practically closed. Factories in which piano makers only appeared for a few hours and sporadic jobs, adjusted a grand piano, and then went back to their replacement work, for example as a taxi driver.

The period of World War II also proved very difficult. Theodore and his wife saw their four sons go to war with only Henry Z staying near New York. However, they all came back healthy. The Steinway Rikers factory accepted an armaments contract, the pricing of which was far too tight and honest on the part of Theodore: they produced cargo gliders and their wings. While companies all over the USA earned golden noses on armaments contracts, Theodore found it difficult to cope with the high documentation requirements and the late payment of these orders. In the final phase of the war Theodore Steinway also delivered field pianos, which could be used in a parachute drop box with tuning tools and a collection of notes in the field for the entertainment of the soldiers, the "Victory Pianos"; which today in their simplified field green paintwork are an extremely sought-after status symbol for Americans and are traded at enormous prices.

During these difficult years, Theodore developed an alcohol problem. He prepared the celebrations for the company's centenary in 1953, on the occasion of which he wrote an illustrated book on the company's history, “Peoples and Pianos”.

Two years later he resigned the presidency at a meeting of the directors; his son Henry Ziegler Steinway succeeded him. Theodore remained for a short time in a position created for him as President of the Supervisory Board, but he also resigned from this office after a short time.

swell

1. ^ Susan Goldenberg, "Steinway - From Glory to Controversy," Mosaic Press, 1996, Oakville, ON, ISBN 0-88962-607-3 , pp. 93-134