Following World War II, the company moved its operations from the 50th Street location to the Bronx in a larger, more modern building.
Under his direction, a number of separate operations stemming from various acquisitions were consolidated under one roof. White originally joined the company in 1921 and thereafter became successively president and chairman. However, progressive leadership and modern production techniques have always been outstanding attributes of the company. Through acquisition of Francis Bacon Piano Company, Kohler & Campbell traces its heritage back to 1789, date of founding of the first piano company in America by John Jacob Astor. Their combined production exceeded 50,000 player actions per year. Nearly every major piano manufacturer purchased player actions from the Auto Pneumatic Action Company and The Standard Pneumatic Action Company, manufacturing subsidiaries of Kohler & Campbell during the days of the player piano. Among those companies are Hazelton Brothers, Francis Bacon Piano Company, Behning Piano Company, Milton Piano Company, Behr Brothers, Brambach Piano Company, Davenport and Treacy Company, Kroeger Piano Company, Waldorf Piano Company and Bjur Brothers. Position of Kohler & Campbell in the piano industry is well illustrated by the distinguished piano companies either founded or acquired by it during its 84 years of operation.
Under his direction, Kohler & Campbell popularized the player piano in America, making available to the public for the first time the music of the world’s leading artists through Welte-Mignon reproducing action. Campbell’s unexpected death in 1908, Charles Kohler became sole owner. After the company was established only a few years the business expanded to such a degree that it moved to much larger quarters, occupying an entire building built for it at 50th Street and Eleventh Avenue, and continuing to expand into adjoining and nearby buildings until it occupied over one million feet of floor space. As a testament to the quality, it is said that some of their largest customers were piano manufacturers of note that carried Kohler & Campbell pianos in their retail establishments.įirst factory was in a small loft building on 14th Street in N.Y.C. Together they built one of America’s largest piano companies. Considered a genius as a factory organizer and businessman, he was the perfect complement to Campbell. This was and is the cornerstone of Kohler & Campbell pianos…the best value for the dollar.Īt the age of 20, Charles Kohler embarked on a piano-making career. John Campbell has been credited with pioneering many manufacturing techniques that instantly created more value for the dollar in Kohler & Campbell pianos. Campbell, in less than 20 years Kohler and Campbell became one of the world’s leading manufacturers of upright and grand pianos, player pianos and automatic reproducing actions.Ĭampbell was a machinist who invented several wood and iron making machines and later took up piano making. Founded in 1896 as a partnership between Charles Kohler and J.
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