Foundation Musick's Monument
The brothers Meincke and Pieter Meyer are early piano builders in Amsterdam whose instruments have survived. Their year of birth and death are not known. Meincke worked in London before 1779 as an associate of the famous Saxon-born Johannes Zumpe. Zumpe had set up his own workshop there in 1761. that turned out to have been a hit. After the better circles in London had accepted the little unknown instrument, demand grew to such an extent that one could speak of an explosive development. Zumpe was able to attract several collaborators, such as Meincke Meijer. Two pianos, from 1776 and 1778, recall their collaboration.
No doubt Zumpe will have tried to expand his sales area, especially to the Netherlands. Meincke must have known about the growing demand in Amsterdam, because in 1779 he announced by advertisement that he had established himself in partnership with his brother Pieter.
Amsterdamsche Courant., den 10 Juny 1779.
MEINCKE MEYER, former partner of JOHANNES ZUMPI, famous maker of musical instruments in London, takes the liberty to inform people of distinction and other connoisseurs of music, that he has established himself in Amsterdam, in partnership with his brother PIETER MEYER, to continue the same business, in making all kinds of FORTEPIANO INSTRUMENTS, much improved by him, and far exceeding all others known so far; they request everyone's favour and recommendation. Their place of residence is on the Kolk, on the corner of Voorburgwal, by the Brug, in Amsterdam.
Johann Christian Bach played a Zumpe instrument publicly and may have acted as a sales agent for Zumpe pianos
Johann Christian Bach 1735-1782
Sonate G-Dur - Allegro & Tempo di Menuetto
Among the Meyer piano builders, two generations can clearly be distinguished.
The older generation was born c. 1735-1745. These include:
I - Meincke Meyer
II - Pieter Meyer
III - Joachim Andreas Meyer ( Father of Hilmer Meyer and Andreas)
IV - Hendrik Anthonie Meyer (1745- †1812)
Civil marriage - Act Granted to marry from Engelskerk
The death certificate, signed in Amsterdam on 20 June 1812 states:
‘Hendrik Anthonie Meijer on the nineteenth of this month at Eight o'clock, in the evening old 67 years, living and deceased Kalverstraat no 192, Canton A, by profession organ and Forte Piano maker born at Linden in “t Hannover, married to Grietje Sonders , son of the late Hendrik Meijer”.
The first three are in any case brothers although this could not be verified by birth or baptismal registers.
Various family members worked as piano builders under the firm name Meincke & Pieter Meyer. It is not known how long the firm remained under the personal management of Meincke and Pieter Meyer after 1779. It is plausible that after about 1785, Meincke Andries, Jan Lodewijk and Hendrik Anthonie also worked in the business. The branch in Hamburg was founded by Pieter Meyer, but later completely taken over by Andreas Meyer.
The younger generation (born after 1767) included:
V - Meincke Andries Meyer Meinecke (Michael) Andries (Andreas) Meyer (geboren: London 1767)
VI - Jan Lodewijk Meyer Jan (Johan) Lodewijk Meyer (geboren: London 1772) John Ludowyk Meyer - John Ludwich Meyer - John Ludwig Meyer - John Ludwich Meyer
VII - Hilmer Meyer Hilmar Meyer (geboren Hittfeld: Januar 1773 – gestorven: Amsterdam 20. August 1816)
Witnesses Andreas Meyer and the mother of Hilmer and Andreas: Magdalena Dorothea Lutmers
VIII - Andreas Meyer born 15 October 1775 in Hittfeld near Hamburg. Brother of Hilmer Meyer
Andreas Meyer - Magdalena Dorothea Lutmers
Came to Hamburg in 1794 and received civil rights as a pianoforte maker in 1805. In the same year, he married Anna Metta Maria Kunstmann. From 1813 to 1850 he is listed in the Hamburg address books as the owner of a pianoforte factory (Neustädter Fuhlentwiete 121)/ Temporarily he had a certain Bohlmann and then his own son as an associate. Andreas died 21 Aug 1845 in Hamburg.
Joachim Andreas Meyer. Father of Hilmer and Andreas. He was married to Magdalena Dorothea Luttmer (Anna Dorothea Lüttner. She was born in Hittfeld near Hamburg on 20 March 1738.
Whereas before 1779, pianofortes were made in single copies by builders of house organs, harpsichords and spinets, from that year onwards the Meyers concentrated exclusively on building pianos, and with success. Their instruments struck a chord with the people of Amsterdam. The Meincke & Pieter Meyer firm was regularly moved to a more favourable address for the business and developed into a piano factory, where servants found employment. In turn, the Meyers sought international outlets and a branch was opened in Hamburg. In Hamburg address books from 1796 the business is listed in Pieter's name; in the years 1803-1813 it is referred to as ‘M. & P. Meyer, Musikalische Instrumentenmacher, Grosse Bleichen 304.’
Due to the expansion, it was possible, that several family members started helping out in Amsterdam. After 1800, several of them owned the business.
An illustration of the Meyers' prominent place is the fact that for a while the firm held the designation “Piano forte Fabrikeurs van hunne Majesteiten”.
Meincke & Pieter Meijer
“Pianoforte Fabrikeurs van hunne Majesteiten” Meincke & Pieter Meijer
‘Pianoforte Fabrikeurs of their Majesties’ LOUIS BONAPARTE & HORTENSE DE BEAUHARNAIS, the first King & Queen of Holland.
The cash book of the treasurer-general in the king's service records in March 1809 the payment to the Meijer brothers for the delivery of three fortepianos, two for the Amsterdam palace ( summa 2,200) and one for the ‘chateau de Zoestdijk’ (summa 450)..
Royal Collections, The Hague, Fragment archives of the Civil House of King Louis Napoleon, inventory number G004-C-14.
Various family members worked as piano builders under the firm name Meincke & Pieter Meyer. It is not known, how long after 1779 the company was under the personal management of Meincke and Pieter Meyer. It is plausible that after about 1785, Meincke Andries, Jan Lodewijk and Hendrik Anthonie also worked in the business. The branch in Hamburg was founded by Pieter Meyer, but later completely taken over by Andreas Meyer.
dr Clemens Chr. J. Von Gleich/Hans Meijer
Zwolle den 21 Juny 1792.
The Brothers M. and P. MEYER, well-known Forte Piano makers, living in Amsterdam, hereby announce to all lovers of their Forte Pianos, that they have asked J.G. NICOLAI, Organist here in Zwolle, have asked to be their commissioner of their Forte Pianos for all here in the province of Overyssel: If in the future anyone chooses to buy a piece, he/she is hereby requested to address himself/herself directly to J. G. NICOLAI. , without him having to report to them in Amsterdam, because nobody will be able to get them cheaper there than by the aforementioned in Zwolle. Currently available: one at f 300: one at f 260: and one at f 210 without music stand. If there are any lovers of pieces at higher or lower prices, they should be ordered extra. Apart from the above-mentioned three types of pieces, none will ever be ready without an extra order. On their behalf the above-mentioned Commissionair will repay for their pieces: so if anything should come to them, which could be attributed to imperfection, they will address them directly through their commissioner: they will try to reassure the possessor of the instrument, which they will make known here by their promise. Zwolle on 21 June 1792.
MEINCKA en P. MEYER.
Dulcken/Meijer project
Johannes Ducken born 1768, son of Johannes Lodewijk Dulcken
The daughter of Johannes Dulken and Margaretha Koers was Alida Dulken.
Alida Dulken married the son of the blacksmith Johan Casper Hendrik Meyer of Eißendorf, Johan George Meyer.
Johan George Meyer had a workshop at Bolwerk Osdorp No 76, this was next to the sugar refinery of C. De Bruyn & Sons No 74 and No 75 .
Were Johan Casper Hendrik Meyer & Johan George Meyer smiths of ‘Pianoforte Fabrikeurs of their Majesties’ Meincke & Pieter Meyer?
Born 1771 - Johan Casper Hendrik Meyer SMID , Born Eißendorf in 't Hannover
Born 1773 - Hilmer Meyer PIANOFORTE BOUWER, born Hittfeldt in ’t Hannover
Born 1775 - Andreas Meijer (brother Hilmer)PIANOFORTE BOUWER, Born Hittfeldt in ’t Hannover is near Eißendorf.
“Pianoforte Fabrikeurs van hunne Majesteiten” Meincke & Pieter Meijer
JOHAN GEORGE MEIJER SBLACKSMITH adress SCHANS
MEINCKE & JOHAN LODEWIJK MEIJER PIANOFORTE BUILDERS SPIEGELSTRAAT hoek KERKSTRAAT
MEINCKE (Michael Andries) Meijer was still alive when his son Herman Meijer married in 1836 and was then 69 years old
BEROEP PIANOSTELLER...the business then being Kerkstraat near Spiegelstraat
JOHAN LODEWIJK Meijer was still working as a piano maker until 1844
On 8 May 1844, Johan Lodewijk's profession was still piano maker. A year later no profession...
THREE GENERATIONS OF BLACKSMITHS ACTIVE AMSTERDAM BOLWERK OSDORP No 76 & LAREN (Zevenend/Eemnesserweg)
Johan Casper Hendrik Meijer 1771 - †?
Johan George Meijer 1806 - †?
Carel Hendrik Meijer 1845 - †1892