Guide to the Strong Museum Collection ARS.0190
Gurudarshan Khalsa
Archive of Recorded Sound
2018
soundarchive@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Archive of Recorded Sound
Title: Strong Museum Collection
creator:
Aeolian Company
creator:
Mason & Hamlin
creator:
Amphion Piano Player Company
creator:
Strong (History Museum)
Identifier/Call Number: ARS.0190
Physical Description:
22 box(es)
22 records storage boxes (22 linear feet), including 129 bound volumes and 1 folder
Date (inclusive): 1825-1926
Abstract: The Strong Museum Collection contains piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents in bound volumes from the Aeolian,
Amphion, and Mason & Hamlin companies. These date from circa 1825 to 1926 and are organized by dates and alphabetical indexes.
Also included is 1 envelope entitled 'Aeolian American Action'; undated.
Physical Location: Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries,
Stanford, California 94305-3076”.
Scope and Contents
The Strong Museum Collections consists of piano, player piano, organ, and player organ patents in 129 bound volumes from the
Aeolian, Amphion, and Mason & Hamlin companies. The majority of the patent volumes are from the United States Patent Office
but there are a small number from the English Patent Office. The volumes date from circa 1825 to 1926, and are organized first
by company, instrument and chronologically. There are also alphabetical indexes. Also included is one envelope entitled ‘Aeolian
American Action’; undated, which contains an advertisement.
The collection is in original order and each bound volume retains the Strong Museum call numbers in square brackets at the
end of the volume title.
Biographical / Historical
The Aeolian company, founded in 1887 by William Tremaine, was a manufacturer of player organs and pianos.
Mason & Hamlin, based in Haverhill, Massachusetts, is a piano manufacturer that was founded in 1854 by Henry Mason and Emmons
Hamlin.
The Strong is an educational museum in Rochester, New York. The museum’s name has slowly evolved from the Margaret Woodbury
Strong Museum to the Strong Museum to the Strong National Museum of Play and finally The Strong.
(Source: Wikipedia, 2017-12-21)
Arrangement
This collection is in original order and arranged into five series:
Series 1: Aeolian Company, 1839-1926
Series 2: The Amphion Company, 1901-1926
Series 3: Mason & Hamlin Company, 1825-1909
Series 4: Patents Index, 1849-1913
Series 5: Patents of Player Action, etc., 1900-1908
Cite as
Strong Museum Collection, ARS-0190. Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, CA.
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head Librarian, Archive of Recorded Sound, Braun Music Center, Stanford, California 94305. Consent is given on behalf of the
Archive of Recorded Sound as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright
owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns.
Access
Open for research; material must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Contact the Archive of
Recorded Sound for assistance. Some of the bound volumes are fragile and may require special care during handling.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Mechanical musical instruments
Mechanical organ builders
Mechanical organs
Musical instrument makers
musical instruments and equipment
Musical inventions and patents
Organ builders
Organ (Musical instrument)
Patents--Great Britain
Patents--United States
Piano
Player piano
Player organ
Aeolian Company
Mason & Hamlin
Amphion Piano Player Company
Strong (History Museum)
Series 1: Aeolian Company
1839-1926
Arrangement
This series is in original order and organized into four sub-series:
Aeolian Company Patents, 1867-1924
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments, 1877-1902
Mechanical Musical Instruments, 1849-1924
Piano Patents, 1839-1926
Scope and Contents
This series contains piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents in 62 bound volumes from the Aeolian company. The
majority of the patent volumes are from the United States Patent Office but there are a small number from the English Patent
Office. The volumes date from circa 1839 to 1926, and are organized by dates and alphabetical indexes. Also included is one
envelope entitled ‘Aeolian American Action’; undated, which contains an advertisement.
Sub-series I: Aeolian Company Patents
1867-1924
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains patents from the Aeolian company in 4 bound volumes. All of the patent volumes are from the United
States Patent Office. The volumes dates from 1867 to 1924, and are organized chronologically.
box 1, volume 1
Aeolian Company Patents, Volume 1 [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.619]
1867-1888
box 1, volume 2
Aeolian Company Patents, Volume 2 [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.620]
1888-1904
box 1, volume 3
Aeolian Company Patents, Volume 3 [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.621]
1904-1913
box 1, volume 4
Aeolian Company Patents, Volume 4 [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.622]
1913-1924
Sub-series II: British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments
1877-1902
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents in 8 bound volumes from the Aeolian company.
All of the patent volumes are from the English Patent Office. The volumes dates from 1877 to 1902, and are organized chronologically.
Box 1, volume 5
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.623]
1877-1884
Box 2, volume 1
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.624]
1888-1890
Box 2, volume 2
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.625]
1891-1893
Box 2, volume 3
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.626]
1894-1896
Box 2, volume 4
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.627]
1897-1898
Box 2, volume 5
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.628]
1899
Box 2, volume 6
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.629]
1900-1901
Box 2, volume 7
British Patents, Music and Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.630]
1902
Sub-series III: Mechanical Musical Instruments
1849-1924
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains mechanical musical instrument patents in 35 bound volumes. All of the patent volumes are from the
United States Patent Office. The volumes date from 1849 to 1924, and are organized chronologically. Also included is one envelope
entitled ‘Aeolian American Action’; undated, which contains an advertisement.
box 2, volume 8
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.631]
1849-1888
box 3, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.632]
1881-1885
box 3, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.633]
1886-1888
box 3, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.634]
1889-1907
box 3, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.635]
1896-1898
box 3, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.636]
1899-1900
box 3, volume 6
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.637]
1901
box 4, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.638]
1902
box 4, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.639]
1903
box 4, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.640]
1904
box 4, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.641]
1905
box 4, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.642]
1906
box 5, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.643]
1907
box 5, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.644]
1908
box 5, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.645]
1909
box 5, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.646]
1910
box 5, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.647]
1911
box 6, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.648]
1912
box 6, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.649]
1912
box 6, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.650]
1913
box 6, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.651]
1913
box 6, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.652]
1914
box 6, volume 6
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.653]
1914
box 7, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.654]
1915
box 7, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.655]
1915
box 7, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.656]
1916
box 7, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.657]
1916
box 7, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.658]
1916
box 7, volume 6
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.659]
1918
box 8, volume 1
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.660]
1918
box 8, volume 2
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.661]
1919
box 8, volume 3
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.662]
1920
box 8, volume 4
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.663]
1921
box 8, volume 5
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.664]
1922
box 8, volume 6
Mechanical Musical Instruments [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.665]
1923-1924
Box 8, Folder 7
Aeolian American Action advertisement
undated
Sub-series VI: Piano Patents
1839-1926
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains piano patents in 15 bound volumes. All of the patent volumes are from the United States Patent Office.
The volumes date from 1839 to 1926, and are organized chronologically.
box 9, volume 1
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.666]
1839-1870
box 9, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.667]
1871-1877
box 9, volume 3
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.668]
1878-1882
box 9, volume 4
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.669]
1883-1886
box 9, volume 5
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.670]
1887-1889
box 9, volume 6
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.671]
1890-1891
box 10, volume 1
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.672]
1892-1894
box 10, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.673]
1895-1897
box 10, volume 3
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.674]
1898-1900
box 10, volume 4
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.675]
1901-1903
box 10, volume 5
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.676]
1904-1905
box 10, volume 6
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.677]
1906-1908
box 11, volume 1
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.678]
1909-1912
box 11, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.679]
1917-1921
box 11, volume 3
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.680]
1922-1926
Series 2: The Amphion Company
1901-1926
Arrangement
This series is in original order and is organized in two series:
Index to Patents, undated
Piano Player Patents, 1901-1926
Scope and Contents
This series contains piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents in 34 bound volumes from the Amphion Company. The
majority of the volumes are either patent indexes or piano player patents. The volumes date from circa 1901 to 1926, and are
organized alphabetically.
Sub-series I: Index to Patents
1860-1904
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains indexes for piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents in 12 bound volumes from the Amphion
Company. The volumes date from 1860-1904 and are organized alphabetically by patent holder
box 11, volume 4
Index to Patents A, B [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.681]
1864-1904
box 11, volume 5
Index to Patents C [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.682]
1867-1904
box 11, volume 6
Index to Patents D, E, F [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.683]
1860-1904
box 12, volume 1
Index to Patents G [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.684]
1871-1904
box 12, volume 2
Index to Patents H [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.685]
1877-1904
box 12, volume 3
Index to Patents I, J, K, L [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.686]
1879-1904
box 12, volume 4
Index to Patents M, N, O [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.687]
1870-1904
box 12, volume 5
Index to Patents P [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.688]
1863-1904
box 12, volume 6
Index to Patents S [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.689]
1866-1904
box 12, volume 7
Index to Patents T, U, V [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.690]
1866-1904
box 12, volume 8
Index to Patents W [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.691]
1866-1904
box 13, volume 1
Index to Patents R, Y, Z [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.692]
1869-1904
Sub-series II: Piano Player Patents
1901-1926
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains player piano patents in 22 bound volumes from the Amphion Company. The volumes date from 1901 to
1926, and are organized alphabetically.
box 13, volume 2
Piano Player Patents A-B [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.693]
1903-1912
box 13, volume 3
Piano Player Patents C-D [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.694]
1903-1912
box 13, volume 4
Piano Player Patents E-H [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.695]
1903-1912
box 13, volume 5
Piano Player Patents J-P [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.696]
1903-1912
box 13, volume 6
Piano Player Patents R-V [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.697]
1903-1912
box 13, volume 7
Piano Player Patents W-Z [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.698]
1903-1912
box 14, volume 1
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.699]
1901-1903
box 14, volume 2
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.700]
1904-1906
box 14, volume 3
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.701]
1907
box 14, volume 4
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.702]
1912
box 14, volume 5
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.703]
1912
box 15, volume 1
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.704]
1914
box 15, volume 2
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.705]
1915
box 15, volume 3
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.706]
1916
box 15, volume 4
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.707]
1917
box 16, volume 1
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.708]
1918
box 16, volume 2
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.709]
1919
box 16, volume 3
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.710]
1920
box 16, volume 4
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.711]
1921
box 16, volume 5
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.712]
1922
box 16, volume 6
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.713]
1923
box 17, volume 1
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.714]
1924
box 17, volume 2
Piano Player Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.715]
1926
Series 3: Mason & Hamlin Company
1825-1909
Arrangement
This series is in original order and is organized in two series:
Organ Patents, 1838-1908
Piano Patents, 1825-1909
Scope and Contents
This series contains organ and piano patents in 27 bound volumes from the Mason & Hamlin company. The volumes date from 1825
to 1909, and are organized by instrument and then chronologically.
Sub-series I: Organ Patents
1838-1908
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains organ patents in 12 bound volumes from the Mason & Hamlin company. The volumes date from circa 1838
to 1908, and are organized chronologically.
box 17, volume 3
Organ Patents, Index organ [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.716]
1838-1908
box 17, volume 4
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.717]
1838-1868
box 17, volume 5
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.718]
1869-1872
box 17, volume 6
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.719]
1873-1875
box 17, volume 7
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.720]
1876-1879
box 18, volume 1
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.721]
1880-1883
box 18, volume 2
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.722]
1884-1888
box 18, volume 3
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.723]
1889-1892
box 18, volume 4
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.724]
1893-1894
box 18, volume 5
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.725]
1895-1897
box 18, volume 6
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.726]
1901-1903
box 18, volume 7
Organ Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.727]
1907-1908
Sub-series II: Piano Patents
1825-1909
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains piano patents in 15 bound volumes from the Mason & Hamlin company. The volumes date from 1825 to
1909, and are organized chronologically.
box 19, volume 1
Piano Patents, Index piano [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.728]
1825-1909
box 19, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.729]
1825-1867
box 19, volume 3
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.730]
1868-1871
box 19, volume 4
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.731]
1872-1875
box 19, volume 5
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.732]
1876-1878
box 19, volume 6
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.733]
1879-1883
box 19, volume 7
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.734]
1884-1886
box 20, volume 1
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.735]
1887-1889
box 20, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.736]
1890-1891
box 20, volume 3
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.737]
1892-1893
box 20, volume 4
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.738]
1894
box 20, volume 5
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.739]
1896-1898
box 20, volume 6
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.740]
1898-1900
box 21, volume 1
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.741]
1907-1908
box 21, volume 2
Piano Patents [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.742]
1909
Series 4: Patents Index
1849-1913
Arrangement
This series is in original order.
Scope and Contents
This series contains piano, organ, player piano, and player organ patents indexes in 3 bound volumes. The volumes date from
1849 to 1913, and are organized alphabetically by patent holder.
Box 21, volume 3
Patent Index A-M [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.743]
1849-1913
box 21, volume 4
Patent Index N-Z [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.744]
1849-1913
box 22, volume 1
Patent Index (Chronological by patent #) [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.745]
1849-1913
Series 5: Patents of Player Action, Etc.
1900-1908
Arrangement
This series is in original order.
Scope and Contents
This series contains piano player patents in 3 bound volumes. The volumes date from 1900 to 1908, and are arranged chronologically.
box 22, volume 2
Patents of Player Action, Etc. [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.746 Vol. 1]
1900-1904
box 22, volume 3
Patents of Player Action, Etc. [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.747 Vol. 2]
1905-1907
box 22, volume 4
Patents of Player Action, Etc. [Strong Museum call number 87.3000.748 Vol. 3]
1908
