- Steinway & Sons achieves record earnings of $314,379, notwithstanding the deep economic recession.
- George A. Steinway, William Steinway’s son, begins to work at Steinway & Sons factory.
- Steinway & Sons catalogue, dated with this year, contains words, written by William Steinway, that explain something that will become the great point of controversy over a hundred years later: “Continued dampness. […] will also swell and raise the soft fibers of the sounding-board, thereby forming ridges, which by the inexperienced observer are mistaken for cracks, while in reality affording the best proof of excellent, well-seasoned material.”
- “Alma Tadema Piano” (Model D Art-Case piano, #54,538) is built, but not yet decorated (see the corresponding 1884 entry).