Chickering & Sons (not to be confused with Chickering Brothers) was the first actual piano factory in America, established in Boston in 1823 by Jonas Chickering with partner James Stewart. (The firm was known as "Stewart & Chickering" for a short time) From about 1830-1840, Chickering built some pianos under the name of Chickering & Mackay. John Mackay was a sea captain, and he would export Chickering pianos to South American, and in return, would bring back ships full of sweet smelling rosewood and mahogany for piano building. Mackay was lost at sea in 1841, and we have seen only a handful of pianos bearing the name Chickering & Mackay. Apparently they are very rare today. In 1852, the name of the firm was changed to Chickering & Sons when Chickering brought in his three sons, Thomas, Frank and George, as partners. Jonas Chickering died in 1853, and the firm was taken over by his son Thomas. Thomas Chickering died in 1871, and the firm was taken over by Frank Chickering. The remaining brothers died in the 1890s, as the firm continued to grow and thrive. In 1908, Chickering was sold to the American Piano Company, makers of some of America's better brand names. In 1932, the Aeolian Piano Company and the American Piano Company merged to create the Aeolian-American Corporation, and they continued to build the Chickering name for decades.

1823-100           1907-110000           1932-149800             1960-212750
1825-316           1908-112000           1933-150700             1961-214527
1827-509           1909-113000           1934-152500             1962 -216488
1829-620           1910-115000           1935-155200             1963-217830
1830-716           1911-117200           1936-158200             1964-219221
1835-1980          1912-120000           1937-161400             1965-221117
1840-4235          1913-121000           1938-163000             1966-222963
1845-6490          1914-12 2500          1939-165000             1967-224943
1850-10000         1915-124000           1940-167200             1968-226928
1855-15400         1916-126000           1941-170000             1969-228651
1860-22000         1917-127500           1942-174700             1970-230300
1865-28000         1918-128500           1943-179500             1971-231317
1870-35500         1919-130000           1947-187000             1972-232410
1875-46000         1920-132500           1948-189200             1973-234059
1880-55500         1921-133400           1949-192450             1974-235824
1885-70000         1922-134400           1950-195000             1975-237578
1890-78500         1923-137500           1951-197500             1976-239340
1895-85000         1924-13 7600          1952-198400             1977-240626
1900-93000         1925-139700           1953-202000             1978-242694
1901-94500         1926-1416 00         1954-202400            1979-244266
1902-96000         1927-143900          1955-204000            1980-245989
1903-98500         1928-145400          1956-205900            1981-247477
1904-101000        1929-147700          1957-207000             East Rochester
1905-105000        1930-148400          1958-209300             Plant Closed
1906-107000        1931-149100          1959-211150             7-22-82
    1986-Wurlitzer made their first Chickering in Holly Springs, MS.
1986-1,885,000 1987-1,935,000 1988-2,002,000
   1994-Baldwin made their first Chickering Grand Piano
1994-328723   1995-329830   1996-335502