Kingdom Of The Keys

By Lisa Peterson

Nestled in Elizabeth among stores that would be common to any city shopping district is a piano business that makes visitors feel as though they have been transported back to the 1920s. In the East Jersey Street showroom of the Altenburg Piano House, original art deco light fixtures hang from the towering ceiling and matching sconces adorn walls accented with gold leafing. The aisle lined with pianos of every description is doted with small ornate rugs, some of which were laid for the grand opening of the store during the period of fringed dresses and the Charleston.

The office at the back of the selling floor looks more like that of a quaint small-town bank -- not the headquarters of what the late company President Otto Altenburg said is the largest piano business in the New York metropolitan area and possibly the East Coast. It also has stores in Asbury Park, and Trenton, NJ.

The company's history is as rich as its inventory. Of some 200 European piano makers who came to America more than 100 years ago, the firm is the only one that has remained family owned and operated. All the others have changed hands over the years. "We're still just a family business, not a corporation." Liberace used to store one of his concert grand Baldwin pianos at the Elizabeth company and it would be sent by truck to him when the late pianist was appearing in Atlantic City or New York. Liberace was a friend of the late Mr. Altenburg. He was under contract to Baldwin and had three or four pianos that were kept across the country for him in places like Chicago and L.A.

The business was started in 1847 by Otto's great-great-grandfather, Frederick Altenburg who, built his first piano by hand in a small factory in the province of Saxony, Germany in 1847. In the early days, the company made only two pianos a year. Today the firm manufactures and sells between 1,200 and 1,500 pianos a year. We anticipate how many will be sold before they're made.

The business began as the Otto Altenburg Piano Co., named after Frederick's brother. And every succeeding generation of Altenburgs has had either an Otto or a Frederick or both.

In the vast nine-story warehouse next door to the two-story showroom, there are hundreds of Altenburg grand pianos, uprights and organs. Other brands are sold at the stores, but Altenburg said the family's piano stands up to the best of them and was even recommended by world famous Hungarian composer and teacher Franz Liszt.

While other piano makers found it difficult to remain a family business, word-of-mouth helped Altenburg maintain their operation. "We build good products and do good work," Altenburg said. "Some people will even order our pianos over the phone. Inside our pianos we use the same mechanism as the Steinway. The Altenburg family settled in New York City when they first came to America. They opened a piano factory in 1855 in the Bowery, then the business moved to Elizabeth later on.

Altenburg said the first Elizabeth showroom opened in 1906 down the street from the current showroom, which opened in 1929. He said the pianos were made a couple of blocks away at a building on Jefferson Avenue until about 30 years ago.

"We stopped making the whole piano because we couldn't get all the parts anymore. "The piano exteriors are now made in the United States and overseas, depending on the finish desired. The mechanisms inside the piano are made in Germany. Altenburg pianos are priced from under $2,000 to over $20,000 and the instruments can be custom-made and can also be rented for a special occasion. "It takes about three months for one to be custom-made," Altenburg said. "We'll make up anything. "A piano made for Nancy Altenburg several years ago and kept in her Union Township home has become "almost a collector's item," Altenburg said. "I had it inlaid with flowers so I never have to buy her flowers again."

The company employs about 40 people.  Nancy now is President and Frederick is vice president and manager.

Fred Altenburg expressed confidence the business will remain in the family for many more generations. And, the instruments will always be popular.

"Pianos are so different from electronic instruments," he said. "Our business is pretty steady. People love pianos because their sound is so natural."

 

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