{{Short description|Czech piano manufacturer}} {{About|the Czech piano manufacturer}} {{Coord|50|11|31.75|N|15|51|3.33|E|type:landmark_region:CZ-KR|display=title}} {{use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Petrof | logo = 220px|Logo of Petrof | founded = 1864 | founder = Antonín Petrof | hq_location_city = | hq_location_country = | hq_location = Hradec Králové, Czech Republic | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Zuzana Ceralová Petrofová | industry = Musical instruments | products = Grand and upright pianos | production = Yearly around 100 new grand pianos and 500 uprights<ref name="pianos">{{cite news |title=Drnek Piana – Klavíry a pianina značky Petrof |url=https://www.pianos.cz/zajimavosti-o-klavirech-a-pianinech/klaviry-a-pianina-znacky-petrof/|access-date=9 December 2025|website=Pianos.cz |language=cs}}</ref> | market cap = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = c. 110<ref name="pianos"/> | parent = | divisions = | website = [http://www.petrof.com petrof.com] }} thumb|Petrof Grand Piano at exhibition thumb|upright|1895 ad for Petrof pianos '''Petrof''' is a Czech piano manufacturer founded in 1864. It is a leading European piano manufacturer, exporting to more than 60 countries.<ref name="nwp">[http://www.northwestpianos.com/pages/petrof Northwest Pianos, Petrof]</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Petrof: Europe's largest maker of acoustic pianos |url=https://english.radio.cz/petrof-europes-largest-maker-acoustic-pianos-8769075 |publisher=Radio Prague International|date=7 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
== History == The company was founded in 1864 in Hradec Králové, Empor Österreich, by Antonín Petrof (d. 1915), who had apprenticed at Wenes companies such as Heintzman & Co., Friedrich Ehrbar and Schweighofer.
The owner Antonín Petrof was awarded an imperial and royal warrant of appointment to the court of Austria-Hungary.<ref>{{Citation | year = 1917 | title = Handbuch des Allerhöchsten Hofes und des Hofstaates Seiner K. und K. Apostolischen Majestät | publisher = K.k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei | publication-place = Vienna | page = 517 | url = | access-date = }}</ref> In 1924 the company was exporting its pianos to Europe, Japan, China, Australia and South America.
At the World Exhibition 1934 in Brussels,{{clarify|date=December 2025|reason=No such thing, but Brussels International Exposition (1935).}} the Petrof instruments won the gold medal.<ref>[http://www.mapauspechu.cz/cs/mapa-uspechu/petrof-je-opet-na-vysluni-hraje-na-nej-i-paul-mccartney-sledujte-projekt-mapa-uspechu-v-poradu-ekonomika-ct-24.-ve-ctvrtek-16.-7.-2015-bude-hostem-mgr.-zuzana-ceralova-petrofova-prezidentka-spolecnosti-petrof-10150 "Na Petrof hraje i Paul McCartney – mapa úspěchu"] [Paul McCartney plays at Petrof – a map of success] {{dead link|date=December 2025}}</ref> At that time, approximately 400 people worked at their factory.
After the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, the company was nationalized.
In 1991, the company was returned to the Petrof family.<ref name="radio.cz-1"> {{cite web |url = https://deutsch.radio.cz/nachrichten-samstag-28-februar-1998-8056917 |title = Petrof – Privatisierung |language = de |author = Neuveden |publisher = Czech Radio |date = 1998-02-28 |access-date = 2026-03-05 }} </ref> Petrof is currently led by two sisters from the fifth generation of the Petrof family<ref>{{cite web |title=History, Petrof, spol. s r.o. |url=https://www.petrof.com/history |website=Petrof.com |language=en}}</ref> and produces annually approximately 100 grand pianos and 500 upright pianos.<ref name="pianos"/> Petrof is known for several innovations, such as ways to adjust the mechanics and particularly pressure point through magnetic systems.<ref name="petrof-1">{{cite web|title=Petrof Company history|website=Petrof.cz|publisher=Petrof|url=http://www.petrof.cz/historie.html?lang=3|url-status=dead|accessdate=2012-06-20|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063250/http://www.petrof.cz/historie.html?lang=3|archivedate=2016-03-04|language=German}}</ref><ref name="pragerzeitung">{{citation|periodical=Prager Zeitung|title=From a Koeniggraetz-based workshop to all over the world|publisher=Prago Media|publication-place=Prague|date=2009-08-19|language=German}}{{clarify|date=December 2025|reason=What's the original German title?}}</ref>
After 1993, the piano company G. Rösler of Česká Lípa, Bohemia, was acquired.
== Notable performers == Petrof pianos have been used by many famous musicians, including among others: Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter, Count Basie, Richard Clayderman, Ennio Morricone, Renato Carosone and Mark Levinson.<ref name="nwp"/><ref>[http://www.petrof.com/classic.html?lang=2 Petrof famous owners and admirers]</ref>
== Models ==
=== Grand pianos === Current grand piano models:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Petrof Grand pianos|url=https://www.petrof.com/petrof-grand-pianos|access-date=2020-12-11|website=petrof.com|language=en}}</ref> * Master series ** P 284 Mistral: {{convert|284|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 237 Monsoon: {{convert|237|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 210 Pasat: {{convert|210|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} * Standard series ** P 194 Storm: {{convert|194|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 173 Breeze: {{convert|173|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 159 Bora: {{convert|159|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}}
=== Upright pianos === Current upright piano models:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Upright pianos|url=https://www.petrof.com/upright-pianos|access-date=2020-12-11|website=www.petrof.com|language=en}}</ref> * Highest series ** P 135 K1: {{convert|135|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 131 M1: {{convert|131|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} * Higher series ** P 125 G1: {{convert|125|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 125 F1: {{convert|125|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 125 K1: {{convert|125|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 125 M1: {{convert|125|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 122 N2: {{convert|122|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 122 H1: {{convert|122|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} * Middle series ** P 118 P1: {{convert|118|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 118 M1: {{convert|118|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}} ** P 118 S1: {{convert|118|cm|ftin|frac=4|abbr=on}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://www.petrof.com Official site] * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/jan-petrof Jan Petrof Interview] at NAMM Oral History Library (2012) * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/martin-kobza Martin Kobza Interview] at NAMM Oral History Library (2012) * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/zuzana-petrofova Zuzana Petrofová Interview] at NAMM Oral History Library (2012)
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Category:Companies established in 1864 Category:Piano manufacturing companies Category:Czech brands Category:Hradec Králové Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the Czech Republic Category:Purveyors to the Imperial and Royal Court Category:Piano makers Category:1864 establishments in the Austrian Empire