A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schiedmayer
SCHIEDMAYER. There are now two firms of this name in Stuttgart, both enjoying wide reputation as pianoforte-makers, viz. 'Schiedmayer & Sons,' and 'Schiedmayer, Pianofortefabrik; vormals, J. & P. Schiedmayer.' The heads of these firms are the grandsons and great-grandsons of Johann David Schiedmayer, who towards the close of last century was a musical instrument maker at Erlangen, and afterwards at Nuremberg, where he died in 1806. His son Johann Lorenz, went after this for two years to Vienna as a workman, and in 1809 established a business at Stuttgart in partnership with C. F. Dieudonne' (who died in 1825). Before that time pianoforte-making was as good as unknown in Stuttgart; those who required satisfactory instruments obtaining them from Vienna. Lorenz Schiedmayer's intelligence and aptness for business gained a position for his firm, and it soon became one of the first in Germany. In 1845 Lorenz united his two eldest sons, Adolf and Hermann, to himself, and 'Schiedmayer & Sons' soon became as well known in foreign countries as in Würtemberg. Lorenz died in 1860 and his son Hermann in 1861. The sons of the brothers Adolf and Hermann, bearing the same Christian names, have been for some years the directors of this firm, which has made both concert and ordinary instruments, and has competed with success in London and Paris and other exhibitions. The two younger sons, Julius and Paul, at first devoted themselves to harmonium-making, a practical knowledge of which, then of recent introduction, had been gained by Paul in Paris. They started together in 1854, but after the death of the father, in 1860, turned to pianoforte-making in competition with the elder firm. Julius died in January 1878, and the younger firm has since been known as 'Schiedmayer, Pianofortefabrik.'
Special mention must be made of Julius Schiedmayer's prominence as an expert in the Juries of the great Exhibitions of London 1862, Paris 1867, Vienna 1873, and Philadelphia 1876.[ A. J. H. ]