Faszinationpianola

31/05/2026

Another rarity, the 1922 Leutke 3.0m Concert Grand Piano...
We have just scanned this 1922 Leutke (Leipzig) piano catalogue. It presents a 3.0m Concert Grand Piano. Long before Fazioli came with the F308. Leutke also had a huge Double-Concert-Grand-Piano. Unfortunately I never saw either the 3.0m, nor the Double-Grand in real, did you?

30/05/2026

Just scanned: 1931 Hupfeld Uniola brochure...
In 1912, Hupfeld advertised a special artist player piano under the name "Uniola", but the model soon disappeared from the market.
After the decline of the player piano era, Hupfeld revived the Uniola name in 1930 for a modern large-scale public-address and music distribution system. Designed for venues with extensive indoor and outdoor areas, allowing radio programmes, gramophone records, live performances, and public announcements to be relayed throughout the premises via distributed loudspeakers to all parts of an establishment, such as a beer garden. The Uniola system could also be used for live performances by bands and artists, as well as for speeches and announcements. Using microphones, performances or announcements originating from one location could be transmitted selectively to other areas of the venue. This brochure has 9 pages presenting some installations. If interested in a pdf copy pls. check our website with many original documents.

29/05/2026

Just arrived: 1906 B. Grosse Piano with PianoDisc...
The previous owner invested a lot into the renovation and implementation of the PianoDisc PDS-228CFX and Lifesaver in 2003. Nice Piano, even though this manufacturer B. Grosse (Grünau/Berlin) isn't a known one. Piano with player available at a rather low price - looking for a new home.

100 Jahre lang war dies ein normales Handspielklavier. In 2003 wurde es teilrenoviert und ein PianoDisc Selbstspielsystem und ein Lifesafer Befeuchtersystem ...

28/05/2026

Very rare encounter, a 1866 Blüthner next to a 1868 Bechstein...
Both pianos are merely untouched, same size. Amazing. The Bechstein had been first delivered to famous Opera Singer Kaspar Bausewein. Both pianos, as all the 150 others we have, are looking for people appreciating these pieces of art of the golden era.

28/05/2026

1868 C. Bechstein Grand Piano in Nature…
This wonderful piano had been in a beautiful house in the southern Bavarian countryside for many decades. Most of the parts in this piano came from nature >150years ago.

23/05/2026

Rare find: Original Virtuos / Virtuola player piano instructions...
Our library of original documents on pianos and player pianos has a new arrival. This is the first time we have found such instructions for the Römhildt Virtuola. Ca. 1910 Römhildt and Heilbrunn started to cooperate. Römhildt offered the Virtuos player system as the Virtuola. The Virtuola roll catalogue had > 2,500 titles, many of them handplayed by famous pianists such as Eugen d'Albert, Emil von Sauer, Frederic Lamond, etc.. We offer a pdf copy of these instructions at a fee, or in exchange for a document we do not have yet.

15/05/2026

Our recent acquisitions: 3 great instruments...
Although our storage is already quite full, we simply cannot resist exceptionally beautiful instruments like these. The accompanying music roll collections are especially fascinating to us — as are rare original items such as the instruction manual for the Virtuola. An early T98 (green) Steinway Welte piano, a great T100 (red) Feurich Welte Piano, and a late Römhildt Virtuola Piano.

15/04/2026

Don’t miss the GPRM Prelude #12 on April 18, 2026...
We again have two very interesting presentations plus an update on the coming 4th GPRM Conference in Stanford in August. Tom McGrath will talk about 'Life and Music and Recorded Legacy of Viennese Pianist and Composer Paul Schramm', incl. some great audio examples. Paul Schramm had recorded ca 50 rolls at Hupfeld. Peter Phillips will talk about his findings on 'Comparing Red and Licensee Issues of Debussy’s Rolls'. Details can be found here: https://www.hkb-interpretation.ch/global-piano-roll-meeting

27/03/2026

Further late Hupfeld Tri-Phonola rolls found...
These dance rolls were published in the turbolent year of 1929. Very nice music. The title of T60023 'Annekin, Annekin, ...' reminds of the Star Wars Skywalker character...

24/03/2026

Digitization continued...Original Piano and Pianola documents...
Here are further examples. PDF copies are available via our website for a fee or in exchange.