The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company
Showrooms and Factory
(Photograph courtesy of Don Rand) The Cincinnati, Ohio, Rudolph Wurlitzer Company headquarters office and showrooms building (with inset of Chicago branch building). From the Wurlitzer catalogue: At least 90 percent of the people receiving our catalogue know us either by actual business transactions or through some friend who has bought a musical instrument from us, and to those people an introduction is not necessary. There are some, however, who have never deal with us, and probably never heard of us. For the benefit of these we wish to say that our reliability is vouched for by any bank in Cincinnati, New York or Chicago, also by Dun's and Bradstreet's Commercial Agencies. In the fall of the year 1856, the House of Wurlitzer was established by Mr. Rudolph Wurlitzer, Sr., who is still actively engaged in the business, and under whose supervision our immense business is still carried on. At that time we occupied one room, 25 x 90 feet, on the northwest corner of Eighth and Sycamore Streets, then the only house of its kind in the city, dealing in small sundries and musical instruments. In 1859, our business had grown so rapidly that we were compelled to move into larger quarters at 323 Main Street, and again, in 1866, to still larger quarters at 315 Main Street. Still we did not have sufficient room for our rapidly growing business, and a few years later were compelled to move to our present location, 117-121 East Fourth Street. In 1890 we employed 35 persons. At the present time we occupy three buildings, sixteen floors of space, covering 75,000 feet, and employ over 500 people. Last year, at an enormous cost, we remodeled our entire buildings, and can say, with pardonable pride, that we have the finest musical establishment in the United States. One might think there must be something unusual and remarkable back of this wonderful record. The secret is nothing more nor less than our reputation for fair dealing, liberal treatment of our customers and our absolute responsibility. We either manufacture or import every known musical instrument, from the small mouth harp up to the most expensive PianOrchestra, and Military Band Instruments, costing as high as $10,000.00. We have always adhered strictly to the "one-price" principle, and that price the "right price." We want your order, and we guarantee to give absolute satisfaction. The
Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. |
(Photograph courtesy of Don Rand) An early birds-eye view taken in 1912 of the newly completed Rudolph Wurlitzer Company's North Tonawanda, New York, manufacturing facility. The main entrance and administration office building is at the lower left foreground, and it is connected to the original de Kleist building to its right by a covered aerial walkway that links the two buildings. To the right of the de Kleist building is a large L shaped new addition. The administrative offices were later relocated to the side of the factory just to the left of the elevated water tank. This is where they built the tall tower-like structure with the famous Wurlitzer electric sign. |
(Photograph courtesy of Don Rand) Looking upwards at a section of the old de Kleist Musical Instrument Works building, circa 1986. The cartouche at the top of the stuccoed over brick building reads: "Erected 1852; Eu. de Kleist; Enlarged 1902." Eugene de Kleist had become wealthy and was spending most of with other interests, and away from managing the Musical Instrument Works. Quality soon suffered and so Wurlitzer threatened to take over the business if de Kleist did not resolve the production problems. The de Kleist Musical Instrument Works was taken over by Wurlitzer in January of 1909, and the building was soon incorporated into a massive new factory built around the old de Kleist structure. Looking at the glassless windows it is obvious that the historic building has seen much better times. |
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