Aeolian Company Pianos: Design, Models, and More

Aeolian Company Pianos were renowned for their exceptional quality and innovative designs. The company's pianos were built to last, with some models lasting for decades.

The Aeolian Company produced a range of piano models, each with its unique features. The Aeolian Model 400, for example, was a popular choice among musicians.

Aeolian pianos were known for their rich, full-bodied sound. This was due in part to the company's use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship.

From the early 1900s to the mid-20th century, the Aeolian Company was a leading manufacturer of pianos.

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The Æolian Company had a rich history that spans several decades. They started making Vocalion phonographs in 1916.

In 1917, the company began producing Vocalion Records, a high-quality disc label that operated until 1924. This was a significant milestone for the company.

The Æolian Company was initially located at 841 Broadway, in the heart of the piano district. They later moved to 23rd Street and then to 360 Fifth Avenue.

Aeolian Hall, located at 33 West 42nd Street, housed the firm's general offices and demonstration rooms. It was also a recital hall where many notable musicians performed.

The Æolian Company's pipe-organ factory was in Garwood, N.J., until they merged with the E.M. Skinner Co. This expansion allowed them to grow their operations.

After selling Aeolian Hall in 1924, the company moved back to Fifth Avenue in 1925. They built a new Aeolian Building, which included a 150-seat recital hall, recording studios, and offices.

The Aeolian Company remained in the Aeolian Building until 1938, when they leased half of Chickering Hall on West 57th Street.

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Aeolian Company's design and models were deeply rooted in its history. The company was first located at 841 Broadway, in the heart of the piano district.

Aeolian Hall, built in 1912-13, housed the firm's general offices and demonstration rooms, featuring a recital hall on the 43rd Street side. Many noted musicians performed there.

The company's pipe-organ factory was in Garwood, N.J., until the merger with the E.M. Skinner Co.

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The Aeolian Company plant is comprised of approximately ten primary adjoining and freestanding blocks located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Tremont and Cambridge Streets.

The earliest section of the plant is situated immediately southwest of the corner of Tremont and Cambridge Streets, which consists of three red brick manufacturing blocks and an associated powerhouse erected in 1887.

The manufacturing blocks form a unified L-shaped footprint with 102’ of frontage on Tremont Street and 138’ of frontage along Cambridge Street.

The original plant is of standard brick mill construction and has a raised basement level, circular masonry wall anchors, segmental-arched window openings with stone walls, a corbelled and denticulated brick cornice, and a flat roof.

A four-and-a-half-story red brick addition was erected at the eastern end of the plant along Cambridge Street ca. 1895, measuring 49’ x 66’ and largely mimicking the details of the earlier blocks.

The factory’s primary entrance is located on the north (Tremont Street) elevation and is set within a gabled brick portico with a flat-arch opening, stone keystones, and brick corbels.

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A stone plaque above the entry reads “1887.”

A painted sign that reads “THE AEOLIAN ORGAN AND MUSIC COMPANY” spans the third floor of the north elevation, however, this has faded to a point of near illegibility.

The five-story brick stairwell is located on the building’s east elevation, however, this was not constructed until the 1920s.

Expansion of the Aeolian Company plant south along Tremont Street was completed starting ca. 1900 after the firm increased its production of pianolas.

The former boiler houses, located on the interior side of the complex south of Cambridge Street, consist of a group of three two-story red brick blocks erected in 1887, and a pair of two-story reinforced concrete buildings constructed ca. 1920.

A cylindrical red brick chimney stands on the north side of the 1887 powerplant.

Aeolian was first located at 841 Broadway, in the heart of the piano district. The company later moved to 23rd Street, and then to 360 Fifth Avenue.

Aeolian Hall, located at 33 West 42nd Street, housed the firm's general offices and demonstration rooms. It also served as a recital hall on the 43rd Street side, where many notable musicians performed.

The building was sold by Aeolian in 1924.

The firm's pipe-organ factory was in Garwood, N.J., until the merger with the E.M. Skinner Co.

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