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Hi everyone,

I posted a message on the old board, but alas, it wound up past the bottom by the time I went back to check. Does anyone have any info on Pratte pianos. I hear there are two Pratte brands. M.A. Pratte was the new company incorporated to continue manufacturing Pratte pianos, the original being L.E.N. Pratte.

There are two articles in the Canadian Music Trades Journal, which can be consulted at the National Libary of Canada. I haven't checked this out yet.

If anyone has any info about these pianos, I'd be thrilled to hear.

Thanks

William

Per the Pierce Piano Atlas:

"Louis-Etienne-Napolean Pratte and his brother Antonio built thier first piano in 1889 at their store in Montreal, Canada. Their pianos became known as the L.E.N. Pratte piano. The company merged with J. Donat Langelier in 1926."

No in formation is provided for J. Donat Langlier. No serial number information, either.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Wow,
Another LEN Pratte, I have an 54" upright
ser #3030 with a possible date of June 4 1928. This dated was casted on the footpedal
mechanism. I wish I could date it but no serial number is listed.

Here is some information I have. I also have had some French translated from a 1889 Music Journal.

Il ne semble pas que les marchands joliettains disposaient d'instruments de fanfare. Le Messager de L'Industrie (7 sept. 1863) annonce "J.-P. Craig facteur de piano et service de réparation rue Saint-Laurent Montréal". En février 1882, "on vend des pianos carrés tout neufs sortant des manufactures" annonce fièrement la Gazette, qui vante, en août 1889, les pianos Dominion fabriqués par la Cie de pianos et orgues Dominion de Bowmanville Ont. "Ces pianos sont en usage dans les collèges dont Joliette". La manufacture de pianos L.E.N. Pratte, rue Notre-Dame à Montréal, qui vient d'être fondée offre aussi des "pianos à queue, carrés, droits, orgues de salon, d'église, à pédalier et automatiques". Mais deux ans plus tard, en août, grande réduction pour les pianos et orgues chez M. Pratte dont le magasin a été incendié. Les instruments endommagés ont été vendus à l'encan, les autres "sont en parfait ordre mais vendus à un prix inférieur". Ce qui n'empêcha pas Antonio Pratte de se voir accorder dans la suite plusieurs brevets d'invention pour la facture de pianos. Dix ans plus tard, le journal soutient que "les pianos Sohmer sont préférés par les véritables artistes dans tous les États-Unis et le Canada. Comme pureté de son, sonorité et solidité, ils sont insurpassables. Les agents en sont Lavigne et Lajoie rue Notre-Dame, Montréal".
-- Translation Results by SDL International --
It does not seem that the merchants joliettains had access to instruments fanfare. The Messenger of THE INDUSTRY (7 seven. 1863) announce 'J.-P. Craig factor piano and service repair street Holy-Laurent Montréal'. In February 1882, 'one sells square pianos all nine going out of the factories' announce proudly the Gazette, that boast, in August 1889, the pianos Dominion made by the Cie of pianos and organs Dominion Bowmanville Have. 'These pianos are in usage in the high schools of which Joliette'. The factory of pianos L. E. N. Pratte, street Our-Lady to Montréal, that comes be founded offer also of the 'pianos to tail, square, rights, organs living room, of church, to pédalier and automatic'. But two years later, in August, big reduction for the pianos and organs with M. Pratte of which the store has been burned. The damaged instruments have been sold to the l'encan, the others 'are in perfect order but sold to an inferior price'. What not have just had to n'obstacle Antonio Pratte to see to grant itself in
the continuation several patents invention for the bill of pianos. Ten years later, the newspaper supports than 'the pianos Sohmer are preferred by the true artists in all the united States and Canada. As purity of his, sonorité and solidité, they are insurpassables. The agents some are Lavigne and Lajoie street Our-Lady, Montréal'.

PRATTE L.E.N., Montreal, Canada, Est. about 1890. See Pratte Piano Co.
PRATTE PIANO CO., Louis-Etienne-Napoleaon Pratte and his brother Antonio built
their first piano in 1889 at their store in Montreal, Canada. Their pianos
became known as the L.E.N. Pratte piano. The company merged with J. Donat
Langelier in 1926.

And here's the info on Langelier

LANGELIER J. DONAT, At 9090 St. Lawrence Blvd., Montreal, Canada from 1915
to 1965. This name was on many piano's, but they were not a manufature.
They distributed pianos made by L.E.N. Pratte, J. Donat Langelier,
Leclarion, Strathmore, Sherlington, Mansford and Le Clarion.

Dans le premier quart du XXe siècle, il semble qu'en proportion de la population, il n'y ait pas de pays au monde où l'on trouve autant de pianos que dans la province de Québec. Quelques fabriques sont installées à Montréal, dont J.-Donat Langelier, Pratte, Thomas Hood et Lesage.

Do you have one of these sweet dinosaurs?


[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Littlebit ]

Note piano has a date est 1875 so perhaps the literature is wrong considering I don't think my piano lies. LOL

I do wonder why they chose two screws to go through the P for Pratte or is that Piano?

PS She's not really that cherry is normal light must have been the flash.
She does blush though can anyone tell me what kind of wood this looks like?

I just call her Cherry Mahogany.
Thanks


[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Littlebit ]

[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Littlebit ]

L.E.N. Pratte are from the very best pianos ever made in North America.
I've tune and work on quite many of them and it was always a great experience.
Big, very big sound with good sustain and a very nice harmonic balance.
The only piano better the this made in Quebec would be David & Michaud. Wow!
Too bad we lost all this talent.

As a blast from the past, this one takes some beating.

I think as the OP has posted only 6 times in 15 years, he has probably moved on!

... with his latest post 13 years ago!

Still interesting though. I have never heard of Pratte before.

No, but I have met several.

This may be one of the oldest threads on PW

I still have my LEN Pratte piano. Have not played it or been on the forum for over a decade.
I was just doing some research & this old thread popped up. I even was able to log in after so many year!

It's still nice to take a trip down memory lane.

I guess I am still not sure of the date of mine but its serial number 3030 & it is a LEN Pratte
D' Artiste model Montreal in the most glorious tiger wood mahogany.

The last patent date on the piano is 1909

I hand rubbed 10 coats of a special mixture to enliven the finish.

Took out all the keys & rebuilt where needed. I also replaced some missing ivories. I knew nothing about pianos but with the help I believe of perhaps someone in this forum I was given some instructions & bought the parts needed.

I really wish I could date it as a serial number of 3030 seems very low even for a company that starting building pianos in 1889 I suppose if they only produced 100 pianos a year I guess the serial number could date to 1928 or maybe the part dated 1928 was a replacement? Could very well have been built in 1928. Wonder how good the LEN Prattes were at that time.

Still its a mystery & I do love a good mystery.


http://memoire.mile-end.qc.ca/fr/pianos-pratte-manufacture/