The John Geib Family of Musical Instrument Builders
The Geib family was one of New York’s most eminent nineteenth century firms in the piano business. Immigrating to New York in 1797, with his family of seven children, John Geib & Son are listed as organ makers in 1802. His twin sons, John and Adam Geib, began making pianofortes in Mount Vernon (New York) in 1805. After the death of their father, John, Adam, George, and William continued making pianos, flutes, and clarinets, and publishing music for the piano forte at Geib Hall, 123 Maiden Lane in New York City. Adam Geib was an music teacher and organist at Trinity Church. William composed music and built pianos. Adam Geib and his son-in law, Daniel Walker, continued at Maiden Lane. For roughly the next 50 years his sons, John, Adam, George, and William continued the tradition and it is estimated that 15,000 instruments were produced by the Geib Family.
John Geib (1744 to 1818) was a German who moved from the Rhineland Palatinate in the third quarter of the 18th century to London where he worked in various piano making endeavors. He was the inventor of the grasshopper action with a jack that does not push directly on the hammer-shank since an intermediate lever is installed. The buff stop or moderator for square pianos, which was patented November 9, 1786 in London, was also his invention. This is while he was doing making pianos for Longman & Broderip, where he was employed prior to coming to America.
Geib’s double action, which became the ‘standard’ square piano action in Britain, featured an intermediate lever to increase the velocity of the hammer and an escapement to allow the hammer to fall well away from the string even if the key was held down. His mechanism enabled the action to be finely adjusted and greatly increased the reliability and sensitivity of the system overall, along with significant gains in the dynamic range available. This action is extremely flexible and responsive, transforming the square piano into an instrument of great subtlety and expressiveness and a joy to play.
p4A.com acknowledges the assistance of Victoria Clark, a member of the Geib family, in the preparation of this note.