Height: 107
City: Columbus Country: United States Graves Piano & Organ Co.
Year: 1997
City: Columbus Country: United States Graves Piano & Organ Co.
Or maybe it is a "strange" instrument resembling an upright piano and we know only its brand name? If you have an instrument marked with the American name Wurlitzer - you're in the right place! In this article we will try to introduce you to the history, instruments and other inventions of this very factory.
You may know that not only Henry Steinway is a German expatriate in the USA, who is famous for creating upright and grand pianos. In a very similar period of time, the German Frank Rudolph Wurlitzer started his activity, who from 1853 brought instruments from The Wurlitzer Company in Germany to the USA. He opened a local factory in Cincinatti, Ohio in 1861. Initially he produced organs and melodicas. The production of Wulitzer pianos began in 1880 and was later sold in smaller retail stores. These were mid-range pianos, but very durable and solid as a good price/quality compromise. With the technological development at the beginning of the 20th century, the Wurlitzer became famous for its jukebox and coin-operated pianos.
In 1909 the company was moved from Ohio to New York, and since 1910 the organ was produced there, among others, for the "Mighty Wurlitzer" theatres, which can still be found in operas and museums. In 1914 Franz Rudoph Wurlitzer died, after which the management of the company was taken over by his sons Howard, Rudolph and Farny. The company expanded into the United States by establishing upright piano factories in North Tonawanda, New York, and grand piano factories in de Kalb, Illinois. In the 1930's, they introduced a small, approximately 100cm (39 inches) tall piano, which was willingly bought by customers as an alternative to larger and more expensive instruments (Wurlitzer spinet piano). The Wurlitzer factory used the very durable signature "wurl-on" finish which is scratch-resistant. They also introduced significant changes to the structure of the piano's resonance bottom.
As in all factories, the production of instruments was discontinued during World War II, due to orders for the army, fortunately it was resumed later. Although until the 1950s the Wurlitzer's jukeboxes and technological novelties allowed the Wurlitzer to stay on the market, increased competition gradually degraded the Wurlitzer's influence in this field. The Wurlitzer Factory, known for its numerous innovations, in the second half of the 20th century produced an electronic piano resembling the acoustic sound from classical instruments (however, stripped and digitally controlled). It was a real breakthrough!
Gradually taking over various instrument brands, the Wurlitzer also entered the wind and guitar market in the 1970s. One of the acquired companies was also the legendary Chickering, sold to Wurlitzer in 1985. However, this was a period of increased competition and an influx of upright and grand pianos from the East. American instruments were no longer as desirable as in previous years and eventually the Wurlitzer brand was sold to the Baldwin factory in 1988. The Wurlitzer name was on the pianos until 2009, and the production was taken over by the eastern Young Chang and later Samick factories. At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Baldwin resigned from signing instruments with the name Wurlitzer and thus went down in history.
Mid-range Wurlitzer upright and grand pianos are not comparable in quality to the legendary American instruments such as Steinway & Sons, Chickering, or Mason & Hamlin. The manufacturers' assumption was to sell not very expensive pianos, which can be used in homes or cafés.
The range of instruments that the Wurlitzer company has produced over the years is extremely wide. In this concise article it was impossible to list them all in detail! Certainly worthy of mention are the organs, nickel-plated organs, jukeboxes, spinet pianos, Wurlitzer piano consoles, classical and butterfly pianos, as well as electronic pianos.
But how much is a Wurlitzer piano worth and more specifically what is my Wurlitzer piano worth? Due to such a wide range of instruments, it is difficult to determine the Wurlitzer piano value unambiguously. Certainly Wurlitzer pianos are valuable instruments and are still undergoing renovation today. Depending on the model and condition, their price will vary considerably, so to check this, it is necessary to consult a specialist technician. In the Klaviano instrument search engine you can see different Wurlitzer models and also find a shop or technician in your area.
Below is a Wurlitzer piano serial number list, where the numbers are linked to the date of production:
Kim's Piano
Tustin / United States
