Steinway & Sons Art-Case Model C 1877 - Ebony Satin

A Centennial Era Masterpiece with Modern Performance Specifications

The “Transition” Steinway: 88 Keys | All-Steinway Action

This is not your average Victorian Steinway. While most instruments from 1877 are 85-note “sectional case” pianos, this rare Model C (Style III) represents the exact moment Steinway & Sons revolutionized piano building. It features the 88-note keyboard construction that define the modern Steinway, all housed in a breathtaking, hand-carved Art-Case cabinet.

The Technical Restoration
This instrument has undergone an extensive professional rebuilding and refinishing process, ensuring it plays with the precision of a new piano while retaining its unique 19th-century tonal color.
•Action: Outfitted with a newer, all-Steinway action (including hammers, shanks, knuckles, capstans, and wippens). The action shows almost no wear and offers the legendary Steinway feel.
•Structure: The pinblock has been replaced, ensuring rock-solid tuning stability for decades to come.
•Strings & Pins: Completely re-strung with new tuning pins, new strings, and new string felts.
•Soundboard: The original Steinway soundboard has been meticulously reworked and refinished to preserve the complex, “golden-era” resonance that modern spruce simply cannot replicate.
•Action Details: Reworked back action, new damper felts, new key bushings, and new front rail bushings for a quiet, “like-new” tactile experience.

Aesthetic Excellence
Art-Case Cabinet: The Victorian-era case has been expertly refinished, highlighting the ornate carvings and timeless elegance of the 1870s.
Gilded Plate: The cast-iron plate has been re-gilded to a stunning factory-correct finish, making the interior of the piano as beautiful as the exterior.
The Rare 3rd Pedal: Unlike many pianos of this vintage, this Model C features a full 3-pedal system (including Sostenuto), making it fully capable of handling the most demanding modern repertoire.

Why This Piano?
In the world of high-end restorations, this is the “best of both worlds.” You are getting the 7′ 2″ grand scale that many prefer for its balance of power and intimacy. Because it is an, 88-key model, it bypasses the “limitations” of other vintage instruments, making it a viable choice for a professional artist, a recording studio, or a world-class home collection.
“This is the piano Steinway built to prove they were the best in the world. After 150 years, it’s still making that case.” — Living Pianos Technical Review