See Aeolian American Corporation

New York City, 1878-1932. Branches in London and many other cities. One of America’s largest piano and organ manufacturers. Founded in 1878 as the Mechanical Orguinette Co., sold small tabletop organettes (1878-c. 1910), player reed organs (1883-early 1910s), and Pianola push-up piano players (1899-c. 1905). Organized as the Aeolian Organ & Music Co., in 1887. Reorganized as the Aeolian Co. under the parent entity Aeolian Weber Piano and Pianola Co., 1908. Sold Pianola player pianos and Duo-Art reproducing pianos in its piano brands and Steinway pianos (Pianola circa 1905-early 1930s; Duo-Art 1914-1932), pipe organs (1894-1932), player pipe organs (1895-1932) and Duo-Art reproducing pipe organs (1915-1932). Player and reproducing piano sales were very limited after 1929. Owned the Weber Piano Co.; Geo. Steck & Co.; Wheelock Piano Co.; Stuyvesant Piano Co.; Chilton Piano Co.; Technola Piano Co.; Vocalion Organ Co.; Votey Organ Co.; Aeolian Co., Ltd., of Great Britain; and Aeolian Co., Ltd., of Australia. Also owned Melodee Music Co. and Universal Music Co. (music rolls). Merged with the American Piano Co. in 1932 to form the Aeolian American Corporation.

East Rochester, NY. Formed by the merger of the Aeolian Co. and the American Piano Co. in August 1932. Continued to make Chickering & Sons, J. & C. Fischer, Wm. Knabe & Co., Mason & Hamlin, George Steck, Weber, and other piano brands. The company installed Ampico and Duo-Art reproducing mechanisms in these pianos on a very limited basis until the late 1930s. The last Ampico mechanisms were installed in spinet pianos known as “Baby Ampicos,” introduced in 1938. The last Ampico rolls were made at the factory in 1941. Several other firms have made recut and new Ampico rolls since then. Aeolian-American was acquired in 1959 by Winter & Co., owner of many other old piano brand names, which had resumed production of spinet player pianos in 1957. Renamed the Aeolian Corporation, and then Aeolian Pianos, Inc. in 1980, it continued to make pianos and spinet player pianos under a variety of brand names until its bankruptcy in 1985. The Chickering brand name was then acquired by the Wurlitzer Co.

Disc music boxes made in Germany by J.H. Zimmerman, 1896-early 1900s. Name used interchangeably with Fortuna.

St. Croix, Switzerland. Made inexpensive cylinder music boxes, circa 1857-1900; Britannia and Imperial disc music boxes, 1898-early 1900s. Also used the name B.H.A.