‘Britain’s best-loved pianos’ first began to light up performance spaces and living rooms across London and the UK in 1925.
Our beginnings
For the next 70 years, Welmar was synonymous with hand-made craftsmanship, touch-responsiveness and a unique, singing, golden tone.
Prized by discerning professionals and loved by countless home-grown musicians, Welmar combined British instrument-making expertise and European manufacturing excellence to create instruments with a rare quality.
Having built a strong reputation for importing fine Blüthner-made pianos, the craftsmen at Whelpdale, Maxwell & Codd were inspired to lovingly handcraft their own models in the Welmar piano factory in Clapham, South London. These ingeniously blended quality components created some of Europe’s most-celebrated piano designs.
The resulting uprights and grands graced everywhere from schools and concert halls, to churches and homes, influencing countless generations of pianists in the process. And while a tide of Eastern imports finally forced Welmar’s piano factory to cease production in the 1990’s, the dream of a premium, British-built piano lived on.
Welmar has a rich history as the cornerstone of British manufactured pianos.
Harrods X Welmar Exclusive
THE BEST OF BRITISH…
Two iconic and historic London brand names – Harrods of Knightsbridge and Welmar Pianos collaborated to produce a limited number of special edition upright pianos of grand design!
Each numbered masterpiece having the famous Harrods green colour finish to cast iron frames and eye-catching veneered cabinets finely embellished with golden fittings.
Timeless beauty and enduring quality for generations!
Having grown up playing and cherishing Welmar pianos, Nick Rusling (restorer, enthusiast and founder of Coach House Pianos – one of Europe’s most prestigious piano showrooms), was driven to re-establish and reinvent the brand for a new generation of musicians.
Todays pianos
To achieve this goal, Nick focussed on reviving the strong anglo-European partnership that underpinned the original brand – combining the renowned manufacturing expertise of the Blüthner family with the attention to detail of the Coach House family. This ensured the new Welmar range would be handmade in one of the world’s finest piano factories using the finest European components. Then, hand finished, assembled and prepared by an elite team of British craftsmen.
Fast forward to today, and the new models have all the tonal qualities and expressiveness of the originals. The range has also been updated to meet the needs of modern British players and contemporary interior design.
So, for the first time, Welmar uprights and grands are available with a choice of contemporary colours and limited-edition designs. They can also be ordered with a range of digital features – enabling them to act as a Bluetooth sound system, play in silent mode or even self-play.
For piano teachers, professionals, students and music-filled family homes looking for a quality, yet affordable piano, there is simply no finer option.
The all new Welmar range is available exclusively from our select network of retail partners.
EVOLUTION OF THE BRAND
The reimagining of a British classic.
The Welmar brand marque has been lovingly reimagined with the same fervour and authenticity that define our instruments. Delving into our rich archives, we unearthed nods to yesteryears, thoughtfully and respectfully reinterpreted to pay homage to the original logotypes from the 1920s. Rooted in our brand’s storied history, the new Welmar branding has been meticulously crafted to endure the test of time—potentially guiding us through the next century.
Drawing inspiration from the visual language of classical music, our ‘W’ monogram echoes the elegance of treble clefs and lyres. Serving as a distinctive emblem for our brand, a symbol of unparalleled quality and artisanal craftsmanship, it discreetly adorns all our instruments. Furthermore, it is forward-thinking, seamlessly integrating into modern digital platforms, including our innovative self-playing interfaces and digital communication channels.
Testimonials
Sean Bean, Actor
“My Welmar piano sounds absolutely amazing and looks great too!”