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History of the manufacturer  

Aeolian Company, The; New York

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Name: Aeolian Company, The; New York    (USA)  
Abbreviation: aeolian-ny
Products: Model types
Summary:

The Aeolian Company
831 Broadway, New York. (1887 – 1891)
18 West 23rd Street, New York (1891 – 1902)
362 Fifth Avenue, New York, (1902 – 1912)
Aeolian Hall, 25 West 42nd Street, New York (1912-1927)

Founded in 1887 by William Tremaine The Company manufactured musical instruments included the Aeolian and the Orchestrelle - roll-operated reed organs, the Pianola, the Pianola Piano, the Aeolian Pipe Organ, the Aeolian Vocalion - an acoustic gramophone with a cable-controlled volume control, Vocalion gramophone records, the Duo-Art reproducing piano, and standard pianos and reed organs as well as millions of music rolls needed to feed the fashionable instruments.

By 1930 the rise of the radio, the electric gramophone and the “talkies” led to the demise of the mass market for roll-operated instruments. In the early 1930s Aeolian merged with some of its main competitors to become the Aeolian American Corporation, continuing with the manufacture of normal grand pianos until its liquidation in 1985.

Founded: 1887
Closed: 1985
Production: 1887 - 1986
History:

The Aeolian Company was founded by William Tremaine on the 26 July 1887 in Meriden, Connecticut, as the Aeolian Organ & Music Co. as a result of an alliance between the Mechanical Orguinette Company of New York, and the Automatic Music Paper Company of Boston to manufacture mechanical self-playing organs. It became the Aeolian Company in 1895 to manufacturer the very popular player piano. By the early 20th Century the company was one the world’s leading manufacturers of organs and player pianos.

By 1903, the company had acquired several organ and piano companies, including George Steck & Co., Weber Piano Co., and others. This increased their control of the industry with piano player factories in New York City, Garwood, Meriden and the Steck and Weber piano factories in Gotha, Germany and Hayes, England. They marketed products throughout the world and set up companies in Britain and Australia.

In 1916 the Aeolian Company started making Vocalion phonographs and in 1917 Vocalian Records.

In 1932, the company merged with the American Piano Company, joining a long list of manufacturers to be included under the American Piano Company name (including Chickering, Mason & Hamilin, Stoud, Vose,  and a host of others). With this merger, the Aeolian and American Piano Company names joined to become the Aeolian-American Company. The firm declared bankruptcy in 1985.

This manufacturer was suggested by Gidi Verheijen.


Some models:
Country Year Name 1st Tube Notes
USA  16 Vocalion Style D   Aeolian model Vocalian Style D Case Woods: Selected Mahogany or Oak. Finish: Sta... 

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Further details for this manufacturer by the members (rmfiorg):

Aeolian products were imported to Melbourne, Australia from 1907 under the name Pianola Company (Australia) Pty. Ltd. until 1921 when the name was changed to the Aeolian Company (Australia) Pty. Ltd. In 1924 they listed as an Australian, public company. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Apr 29, 1924, Page 8.tbn_US_aeolian_the_sydney_morning_herald_nsw_apr_29_1924_page_8.jpg
Selling The Aeolian Vocalion in Australia in 1924. Argus (Vic.) April 30 1924, page 12.tbn_US_aeolian_argus_vic._april_30_1924_page_12.jpg

  

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