More old Conn factory images

Daniel C. Oberloh · Post by **Daniel C. Oberloh** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:51 pm

Hi All,
A while back, I had posted here a number of very old images of the Conn factory and had quite a few really nice comments and requests to post more. I finally found time to put a page together for my company's website gallery. It has a number of the images from my collection that I thought were worth sharing. I have done my best to make them as clear as I am able. There are still a few more to clean up before I can add them to the page. Feel free to have a gander. I am always interested in such images from other makers as well. I am trying to find images from V. Bach, Holton and York. If you have any you are willing to share, please PM me. I would really like to create a page that will shed a little light on these companies and the folks who worked for them.

http://www.oberloh.com/gallery/Connfactoryimages.htm

Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
Saving the world, one horn at a time...

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Thu May 24, 2007 9:38 pm

Dan,

Beautifully restored images. Looks terrific on your site. Thanks!

Alex F · Post by **Alex F** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:12 pm

Dan,

Excellent work! It is obvious from these photos that working in such a factory back then was difficult and dangerous work. Your gallery is a lasting tribute to these men and women who worked long hours under difficult working condiions to bring make the tools that musicians used to make music.
Thanks.

BriceT · Post by **BriceT** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:18 pm

wow!!! what amazing and interesting pictures. Thanks for this great slice of history!

Highams · Post by **Highams** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:21 am

Many thanks, great pics.

Yesterday I was at the Horniman Museum in South London that houses the Adam Carse collection dating back to the 1800's.

They also house the collection from the Boosey & Hawkes Edgeware & Watford factories that closed down, and Dr. Bradley Strauchen-Schere is a mine of information about all the exhibits, as well as a fine devotee of the Ballad Horn!

CB

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:00 am

Dan-
Thanks for posting the old Conn postcard pics-they are terrific!
Regards-
mark
jonestuba@juno.com

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sat May 26, 2007 12:09 pm

Many thanks! I hope you don't mind, but I posted that link (attributed to yourself and site, of course) at the Horn-u-copia website.

Daniel C. Oberloh · Post by **Daniel C. Oberloh** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:27 pm

windshieldbug wrote:Many thanks! I hope you don't mind, but I posted that link (attributed to yourself and site, of course) at the Horn-u-copia website.

You are welcome.

I don't mind at all WB, Thanks! I really do hope that the collection is educational and as interesting to others as it is to me.

Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
www.oberloh.com

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:45 pm

What an excellent group of pictures. Thatks so much for posting them!

The picture with the American flags hanging down got me thinking. I wonder how many instrument manufacturers changed their factories around to make something specific for the WWII effort? And if so what they converted their factories to?

If anyone knows about that, please chime in.

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:27 pm

Dylan King wrote:... how many instrument manufacturers changed their factories around to make something specific for the WWII effort? And if so what they converted their factories to?

Most major piano manufacturers converted their factories to build items made of wood. Baldwin manufactured aircraft wings which led to their multi-laminate design on pinblocks when production of pianos resumed after the war. Steinway also built products that were specifically for the war effort, such as wooden gliders. But Steinway was the ONLY piano company that was specifically commissioned to build PIANOS for the war effort. Few normal pianos could be made, but one particularly special piano was built, the Victory Vertical. It was a small olive green piano with matching stool, designed to be launched from an airplane with a parachute, in order to bring music to the GI's.