Petrof

Petrof is a Czech piano manufacturer founded in 1864. It is the leading European piano manufacturer, exporting to more than 60 countries.[2]

This article is about the Czech piano manufacturer. For other uses, see Petrof (disambiguation).
Petrof
IndustryMusical instruments
Founded1864
FounderAntonín Petrof
HeadquartersHradec Králové, Czech Republic
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Zuzana Ceralová Petrofová
ProductsGrand pianos and upright pianos
Production output
Yearly around 2,000 new grand pianos and 12,000 uprights[1]
Revenue253,986,000 Czech koruna (2017) 
33,017,000 Czech koruna (2017) 
Total assets477,358,000 Czech koruna (31 December 2017) 
Number of employees
about 1,000[1]
Websitepetrof.com
Petrof piano at the exhibition
1895 ad for Petrof pianos

History

The company was founded in 1864 in Hradec Králové, Czech Kingdom, by Antonín Petrof (d. 1915), who had studied piano making in Vienna at renowned companies such as Heitzmann, Friedrich Ehrbar und Schweighofer.

The owner Antonín Petrof was awarded an imperial and royal warrant of appointment to the court of Austria-Hungary.[3] In 1924 was company except for Europe exporting its pianos to Japan, China, Australia and South America.

At the World Exhibition 1934 in Brussels, the Petrof instruments won the gold medal.[4] At that time, approximately 400 people worked at their factory.

In 1948, Petrof was nationalized, though reprivatized between 1991 and 1998.[5] Petrof is currently led by two sisters from the fifth generation of the Petrof family and produces approximately 2.000 grand pianos and 12.000 upright pianos.[6][1] Petrof is known for several innovations, such as ways to adjust the mechanics and particularly pressure point through magnetic systems.[7][8]

Petrof pianos have had many famous admirers, including among others: Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter, Count Basie, Richard Clayderman, Ennio Morricone and Mark Levinson.[2][9]

Petrof pianos produces (as of 2018) three grand piano models (P284 Mistral, P237 Monsoon and P210 Pasat[10]) and several upright pianos.[11]

References
  1. "Drnek Piana - Klavíry a pianina značky PETROF". Pianos.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. Northwest Pianos, Petrof
  3. Handbuch des Allerhöchsten Hofes und des Hofstaates Seiner K. und K. Apostolischen Majestät., Vienna: K.k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, 1917, p. 517
  4. NA PETROF HRAJE I PAUL MCCARTNEY - MAPA ÚSPĚCHU
  5. Neuveden (1998-02-28). "Petrof – Privatization". radio.cz. Český rozhlas. Archived from the original on 2013-02-10. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  6. "History, PETROF, spol. s r.o." Petrof.com.
  7. "PETROF Company history". petrof.cz (in German). Petrof. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  8. "From a Koeniggraetz-based workshop to all over the world", Prager Zeitung (in German), Prag: Prago Media, 2009-08-19
  9. Petrof famous owners and admirers
  10. www.petrof.com
  11. petrof.com

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