Muir, Wood and Company
Muir, Wood and Company was the premier Scottish piano manufacturer in the early 19th century.
History[edit]
In 1798, after the failure of his brother's retail music business, John Muir took over management of the firm and entered into a partnership with Andrew Wood to form the piano manufacturing and music publishing firm of Muir, Wood and Company.[1][2]
In 1799 the company won a royal warrant as the "Musical Instrument Makers of His Majesty."[1] The firm at this time was located at 16 George Street in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In 1804, George Small joined the firm to run the retail end of the business.[1] The company also relocated at this time to 7 Leith Street in Edinburgh, with that location being renumbered to 13 Leith Street in 1811.[2]
The firm's manufacturing facility was located at Calton Hill.[1] In addition to pianos, the firm made organs (church, chamber and barrel), harps, violins, cellos, tambourines, triangles, drums and serpents.[1]
The firm continued until John Muir's death in 1818.[3] Andrew Wood and George Small continued in business, but on a reduced scale, under the name Wood, Small and Company, until Andrew Wood's death in 1829.[3] In 1822, the firm moved to Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.[3]
Successive companies were Wood and Company, J. Muir Wood and Company, and Small, Bruce and Company.[2][3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Palmieri, Robert (2003). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. New York City, NY, USA: Taylor & Francis. p. 243. ISBN 9780203427026.
- ^ a b c George Grove; John Alexander Fuller-Maitland; Waldo Selden Pratt; Charles Newell Boyd (1911). Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco: The Macmillan Company. p. 561.
- ^ a b c d Palmieri, Robert (2003). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. New York City, NY, USA: Taylor & Francis. p. 435. ISBN 9780203427026.