Founded in Chicago in 1864 by George Washburn Lyon and Patrick J. Healy, Lyon & Healy built its first harp, Model 21 #501, in 1889.

It was the sincere love of music and the enterprising nature of the young and ambitious Healy which drove the company to improve an instrument already thought to be perfect. It was Healy’s covenant which set the stage for decade after decade of groundbreaking innovation in engineering and craftsmanship.

His words articulate Lyon & Healy’s most basic motivation: “Let us build a harp that will no longer worry its owner because of its liability to get out of order easily; let us build a harp that will go around the world without loosening a screw.”

For 130 years, Lyon & Healy artisans have maintained Healy’s commitment to a practice of old-world craftsmanship while embracing new-world innovations. Today, Lyon & Healy strikes that balance daily as it pushes methods, materials and technology to better the instrument and better the craft—never falling back on routine or sacrificing quality for the sake of cost. Use of the latest technology enables Lyon & Healy to refine parts of the instrument in greater detail and efficiency, while old-world craftsmanship ensures that care, precision and pride go into the building of each harp.