Wertheim Pianos are a major part of Australia’s music history and Leaver & Son takes great pride in the fact that we specialise in tuning, repairing and restoring these wonderful Australian-made instruments. Completely manufactured in this country, more than 18,000 upright and grand Wertheim Pianos were handcrafted in the Wertheim piano factory in Richmond (now the home of Channel 9 studios) between 1908 and 1935.
Every year we restore between 15-20 Wertheim Pianos for private customers as well as for ourselves to sell in our piano store. We also tune between 50-75 Wertheim pianos every year for private customers and institutions. A unique and iconic hand-made piece of Australian history, Wertheim pianos were specifically manufactured for Australian conditions and are an extremely well-made instrument, renowned for their reliability and their ability to stay in tune for long periods of time. These pianos are now an extremely popular piano to restore in Australia as Australian-made musical instrument are becoming extremely rare.
The story of Wertheim Pianos began when a young Hugo Wertheim was sent out from Frankfurt by his uncle Joseph to travel the world and spread the word of the family business: sewing machines. He landed in Melbourne in 1875 and opened showrooms selling imported goods such as pianos. In 1908, the Wertheim factory opened its doors and at its peak employed 300 people and produced over 2000 pianos a year.
Renowned for requiring little maintenance, they were a popular all-purpose piano. The business was successful, and the Wertheim family enjoyed celebrity status in Australia. However, after the Great Depression of 1929 and a declining demand for pianos, the family made the decision to close the factory in 1935.
All our Wertheim restorations are perfect; we leave no stone unturned. Each restoration comes with a 25-year warranty, and once restored they are ‘forever pianos’ that will appreciate in value and can be passed down to future generations. They make a fantastic feature piece in both period style as well as modern homes.
Wertheim’s Gold Scroll and Planet Piano models are our in-house restoration specialties. Other brands that Leaver & Son specialise in include Beale, Rönisch, Feurich, Bechstein, Blüthner, Bösendorfer and Steinway. Tuning, servicing and minor repairs in the home can range from $220 to $550. Restoration can range from $6,000 to $12,000. If you want to tune, service or restore your wonderful Wertheim, get in touch and we will do the rest.