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Henry Mason

Every Henry Mason piano is identical in quality and sound to its Mason & Hamlin counterpart and is hand-crafted in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA, to our exacting standards with only the finest materials available—the only difference is the name.

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Many people have heard of a brand called Henry Mason that recently emerged in China. These pianos are in fact authentic and true Mason & Hamlin pianos, sold exclusively under the Henry Mason name in China. I’d like to take the time to clarify and explain why this is the case.
For those who are unfamiliar, China holds very different ideas and laws about intellectual property, trademarks, and patents. In China, ownership of each of these is determined on a strict first-come, first-served basis without any verification of original ownership. This means that even if you are not the original holder/owner of a patent, trademark, or company, you can register and buy the rights for them in China before anyone else and have complete legal ownership.
It is a disturbingly common practice that individuals in China take advantage of their country’s intellectual property law and register the names and trademarks of foreign companies in anticipation that they will someday expand into China. When they do, these individuals hold the foreign companies’ names and trademarks ransom and demand outrageously high prices to buy them back.
I have first-hand experience of this, as Mason & Hamlin has been the victim of one of these schemes—12 years ago, while we attended the Music China trade show, we discovered that someone had registered the Mason & Hamlin trademark in China just two years prior. We immediately petitioned the Chinese government to grant our trademark back, arguing that the Mason & Hamlin company and trademark is known worldwide and was founded in the US in 1854. However, after many years and exhaustive legal action, we have given up hope that the Chinese government will help us. We have also tried negotiating with the current trademark holder, however, we refused his demand of an extortionary 8-figure sum in US dollars.
Today, the music industry in China, with their emphasis on Classical music, is an incredible opportunity that we would like to be a part of, however, we cannot do so as Mason & Hamlin at this time. Instead, we have adopted the full name of Henry Mason—one of the original co-founders of the Mason & Hamlin Piano Company—as our brand in China. Every Henry Mason piano is identical in quality and sound to its Mason & Hamlin counterpart and is hand-crafted in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA, to our exacting standards with only the finest materials available.
It is my hope that genuine Mason & Hamlin pianos under the Henry Mason brand will allow Chinese pianists the opportunity to experience the instruments that have delighted and inspired people around the world for generations, and continues to set the standard for the World’s Finest Piano.

Kirk Burgett

President of Mason & Hamlin, PianoDisc, and Wessell, Nickel & Gross

Q & A

What are the differences between Mason & Hamlin and Henry Mason pianos?
Both Mason & Hamlin and Henry Mason pianos are identical in build, quality, and features—the only difference is the name.

Are Henry Mason pianos built in China?
No, every Henry Mason piano is hand-built at our factory in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA.

How do I know if my Mason & Hamlin piano that was purchased in China is genuine?
An easy way to check if a Mason & Hamlin or Henry Mason piano is genuine is to look underneath the piano. If you see a tension resonator—a series of steel rods with a circle in the center—then you know that piano is an authentic Mason & Hamlin or Henry Mason.

Are Henry Mason pianos sold outside of China?
No, Henry Mason pianos are only available in China.

How can I purchase a Henry Mason?
Please contact us at sales@masonhamlin.com for Henry Mason purchasing information.

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