Photographs and interviews provide an insider's view of the Steinway piano factory in Astoria

Image source: Christopher Payne, via Bonni Benrubi Gallery 

The Steinway & Sons piano factory at the northern tip of Astoria (GMAP) has gotten a lot of love recently. Photographer Christopher Payne took a series of fascinating shots of pianos at all stages of the manufacturing process. He has captured the beauty of the wooden materials, mechanical parts, and precise work that goes into making the legendary instruments.

His photos are on exhibit at the Bonni Benrubi Gallery on 57th Street in Manhattan, but only through Saturday, September 29. If you miss the exhibition, you can peruse photos on Untapped New York and Elle.

Anyone who has tried to visit the Steinway factory knows it isn’t easy to gain access. Tours are only on Monday and Tuesday mornings, only during part of the year; reservations are required, and no schedule is posted (email info@steinway.com to find out when you can visit).

Once you’re there, photography and wandering are strictly prohibited. According to Elle, Payne had a hard time gaining full access to photograph the factory, materials, and workers. So Payne’s detailed photos of the process are quite a treat for those of us who are curious about the world-famous brand. And the process is remarkable, to say the least: Untapped New York reports that each piano is made up of 12,000 parts and takes a whole year to complete; Steinway only produces 1,500 pianos a year.

Perhaps coincidentally, Nancy Ruhling just profiled a Steinway & Sons worker in her Astoria Characters column. She interviewed Wally Boot, who has worked at Steinway enthusiastically for 50 years, since the age of 18. He’s a tuner – which means, in his words, “Pianos enter this room looking like a piano, but leave sounding like one.” Ruhling’s article provides us with even more insider details and photos of the factory, giving us a more complete picture of what it’s like to be involved in creating some of the world’s finest instruments.