#Sherman clay aeolian player piano manual

Heller, who had worked for Aeolian and its predecessor companies since 1904, served as a company president from 1924 until his death in 1974. In 1959, ownership passed to the Heller family, owners of the former Winter and Co., and it was renamed simply the Aeolian Corporation. The combined company, known as the Aeolian-American Corporation, went through several ownership changes. to become the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., a leading builder until the 1970s.Īs the popularity of the player piano faded with the rise of the phonograph and radio, the company merged in 1932 with the American Piano Company (itself a 1908 consolidation of Chickering & Sons, Knabe & Co., and other manufacturers). It was undermined by the Great Depression, during which the organ division was merged with the E.M. An attempt of the company to engage in the production of church and concert organs resulted in important installations at Duke University Chapel and Longwood Gardens. The phonograph was one of the main factors in the demise of the player piano, although Starr made players and records as well as pianos. started making Vocalion phonographs and in 1917/8 started Vocalion Records, a maker of high-quality discs which in December 1924 was sold to Brunswick Records. became the world's leading manufacturer of such roll-operated instruments.

#Sherman clay aeolian player piano manual

Other patent lawsuits were not always successful.Īs the pianola, in its turn, was supplanted by the newer Aeolian's ' Duo Art' reproducing piano (1913), which could reproduce the sound of a famous artist playing without manual intervention, the Aeolian, Weber Piano & Pianola Co. In 1904 Aeolian sued the Los Angeles Art Organ Company for patent infringement of its player mechanism, leading to court victories that, with other factors, effectively shut down a competitor. In 1903, Tremaine absorbed a number of companies making self-playing instruments, including the Weber Co., a New York piano maker since 1852, into the Aeolian, Weber Piano & Pianola Co. and ran it together with the Meriden plant. In 1899, Aeolian took over the property and business of the Vocalian Company of Worcester, Mass. In 1897, Votey joined Aeolian, and in 1900 the firm obtained the patent for such instruments. Votey, president of the Farrand & Votey Organ Company in Detroit. The pianola, a pneumatic player piano, soon after became extremely popular. The company also made organettes and player pump organs for the 'Working Man' to buy. In other installations, the pipes were hidden behind tapestries, under or above staircases, or spoke from the basement through grilles or tone chutes. Elaborate cases and consoles were often featured in residence organs. The manufacture of residence or 'chamber' organs to provide entertainment in the mansions of millionaires was an extremely profitable undertaking, and Aeolian virtually cornered the market in this trade, freeing them from the tight competition of church-organ building with its narrow profit margins. in 1878 to manufacture automated reed organs. Tremaine had previously founded the Mechanical Orguinette Co. The factory was initially located in Meriden, Connecticut. (1887) to make automatic organs and, after 1895, as the Aeolian Co. Tremaine as the Aeolian Organ & Music Co.

The Aeolian Company was founded by New York City piano maker William B.

During the mid 20th century, it surpassed Kimball to become the largest supplier of pianos in the United States, having contracts with Steinway & Sons due to its Duo-Art system of player pianos. Founded in 1887, it was at one point the world's largest such firm. The Aeolian Company was a musical-instrument making firm whose products included player organs, pianos, sheet music, records and phonographs.