HEIRLOOM RESTORATION 1909 Friedrich Prein 51.5" Polished Black Commissioned Upright Piano

This rare Friedrich Prein upright piano was built in Cologne, Germany around the turn of the 20th century and featured one of the most unusual action designs we’ve restored in recent years.

Originally manufactured with an antiquated birdcage action system, this piano came to us with major structural and mechanical issues, including severe soundboard cracking, bridge damage, a failing pinblock, worn action components, and significant dampening problems.

Despite the challenges, the piano showed signs of exceptional German craftsmanship throughout its construction. The heavy-duty plate, intricate bridge design, and overall structural integrity revealed a level of engineering rarely seen in uprights of this era.

One of the most difficult aspects of the project involved rebuilding the upright pinblock using CNC machining technology. Upright pinblocks are notoriously difficult to replace because they are fully integrated into the piano’s structure. Instead of removing the original block entirely, we precision-machined and fitted a new section directly into the existing pinblock with tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch.

Additional restoration work included:

• Soundboard crack repair
• New bass bridge cap
• Action rebuilding and regulation
• New hammer components
• Damper system adjustments
• Ivory key preservation and restoration
• Structural stabilization throughout the piano

Birdcage actions are inherently less efficient than modern upright actions because of their smaller dampening surfaces and antiquated design. Even so, after extensive rebuilding and regulation, this piano produced one of the most impressive results we’ve ever heard from a birdcage upright.

The final tone is warm, rich, clear, and surprisingly powerful—far exceeding our expectations for an instrument of this age and design.