Bosendorfer goes Japanese
Austria's Bosendorfer looks set to fall into foreign hands, with its current owner, the troubled Austrian bank BAWAG, in "final
negotiations" with a Japanese firm.
Rival bidder, home-grown piano maker Brodmann which was seen as the favorite to win ownership of Bosendorfer, expressed
"surprise and disappointment" at the sudden turn of events.
Brodmann and Bosendorfer have a common history going back almost 200 years. Ignaz Bosendorfer was initially an apprentice of
Joseph Brodmann, before taking over his piano manufacturing business.
The bank gave no indication when the deal might be finalised. But a BAWAG spokesman told AFP that the intention was to wrap it up
"this year."
Austria's Bosendorfer looks set to fall into foreign hands, with its current owner, the troubled Austrian bank BAWAG, in "final
negotiations" with a Japanese firm.
Rival bidder, home-grown piano maker Brodmann which was seen as the favorite to win ownership of Bosendorfer, expressed
"surprise and disappointment" at the sudden turn of events.
Brodmann and Bosendorfer have a common history going back almost 200 years. Ignaz Bosendorfer was initially an apprentice of
Joseph Brodmann, before taking over his piano manufacturing business.
The bank gave no indication when the deal might be finalised. But a BAWAG spokesman told AFP that the intention was to wrap it up
"this year."
