Person:Peter Strauch (3)

From shortly after his arrival in America in 1851, he spent 6 years as apprentice to F. Frickinger of Nassau, and eventually entered into partnership with him in the manufacture of pianos and piano actions. Emma Wichelman says that he was supposed to marry the boss' only daughter, but would not and left the firm.

In 1867 he began his own piano action business on W. 25th Street. and in 1868 was joined by his brother, William, hence the company name "Strauch Brothers." In March 1873 they moved to a larger factory on 15th St and Tenth Ave., and in 1882 to a five story building at 116-8 Gansevoort St. at Tenth Ave. William Strauch withdrew from the business in 1887. Albert and William Strauch, the sons of Peter Strauch, became partners in 1890.

Strauch Brothers specialized in the manufacture of actions for upright pianos and are credited with some significant enhancements to the design of the action that resulted in improved sound in upright pianos. One of their actions is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The firm was located at several other places in New York over the years, most notably at 10th Avenue and 13th Street and later at Walnut and 141st Street in the Bronx. By 1910 the factory took up nine full city blocks and employed over 250 men. See "The History of American Pianoforte" by David Spillane for more information about this business.