Matthaus Andreas “Andre” Stein (1776-1842) along with his sister, Maria Anna “Nanette” Stein (1769-1833), continued the tradition of their father, the famous piano maker Johann Andreas Stein (1728-1792). Upon the death of their father in 1792, they ran his workshop in Augsburg, Germany together, until 1794. In 1794, when Nanette married pianist and teacher Johann Andreas Streicher (1761-1833), they moved their workshop to Vienna and worked together until 1802. Andre’s apparent disagreeable personality led to a rift developing between brother and sister, and in 1804 they each went their own way. Andre changed the name of his firm to “Andreas Stein” while Nanette’s firm took the last name of her husband, becoming “Nanette Streicher, geboren Stein.” Andre Stein’s son, Karl Andreas Stein (1797-1863) took over the firm and continued to make Stein pianos.
Literature references:
Clinkscale, M., 2006. Makers of the piano, 1700-1820. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 273-274.
Palmieri, R. and Palmieri, M., 2003. Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, p.375-376.