Broadwood, John & Sons Ltd.

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Broadwood, John & Sons Ltd. London firm of pf. makers, orig. founded in 1728 by Burkat Shudi, whose daughter married John Broadwood (1732–1812), joiner and cabinet maker in the firm. Broadwood became Shudi's partner 1770. Firm re-named John Broadwood & Son in 1795, & Sons 1807. Earliest Broadwood grand built 1781. Haydn visited workshop in 1794. Early square pianos were improvements on those modelled by Johannes Zumpe. Firm reached production of 2,500 instr. a year in 1850s, but declined after 1890.