A while ago I had this piano and I did some research on this brand; before discarding it, I think it might be useful for anyone who happens to come across a used one to know a bit more..
Wohlfahrt was a small Swiss factory that manufactured upright and grand pianos, very active especially in the first half of the 20th century. Hermann Wohlfahrt (1877-1945) began his craft activity in the area around Nidau with Master Schwarz. The first pianos were built in a small workshop in Biel as a result of this collaboration around 1898-1904, bearing the Wohlfahrt-Schwarz logo.
The success of the first pianos allowed him to move to Nidau and found the Wohlfahrt company in 1903. With family contributions, the business grew, and Hermann continued to build upright and grand pianos that enjoyed an excellent reputation among experts; the best models used Renner double escapement action with a single-cast iron cross-strung harp, ivory keys...
Hermann Wohlfahrt was also awarded honorary citizenship of Nidau for his renowned piano production.
Until his death in 1945, he produced no fewer than a total of over 10,000 pianos. Following the founder's death, his son Werner continued the family business in Lengnau and later, in the mid-50s, in Grenchen. However, after Hermann, production activity began to decline rapidly, mainly due to inexpensive international pianos, especially Asian ones, that began to reach Europe, making the Swiss market too small for the family business. Reduced-pace production continued until the early 80s when Werner Wohlfahrt stopped building new pianos and focused on sales and, above all, repair and service. The craftsman's pride had forbidden him from using semi-finished goods to keep up with the price wars...
