The firm of Ibach has long been recognized as one of the most distinguished of German piano manufacturers. It was founded more than two hundred years ago when (Johannes) Adolph Ibach (1766-1848) opened his workshop in Beyenburg (now Barmen), near Ds- seldorf, in 1794. Upon taking his elder son Carl Rudolph (1804-1863) as partner in 1834, Adolph revised the name of the firm to Adolph Ibach und Sohn.