Upright “Victory Vertical”  (G.I. Field Piano)

Steinway & Sons
New York
1943
Steinway & Sons Collection, New York / Hamburg

During the Second World War, Steinway & Sons, like many other companies, had to produce armaments. However, the employees in leading positions at Steinway & Son, Roman de Majewski, Edwin B. Orcutt and Sascha Greiner had an idea: With the “Victory Vertical” or “G.I. Piano”, the company was able to return to piano manufacturing. By the end of the war, around 2500 of these instruments had been produced and delivered to American troops. The pianos are olive green, only about one meter high, weigh 225 kg and have no feet. The keys are made of celluloid and the bass strings are wrapped in soft iron instead of copper, which was rationed during the war. The “Victory” was packed in an olive-green box with carrying handles and could be transported by four soldiers. It also came with tuning tools, sheet music of various genres – from Protestant hymns to boogie woogies – and an instruction manual.