HENRY Z. STEINWAY 109 WEST 57th STREET NEW YORK, N.Y.

ST. LOUIS DEALERSHIP FOR STEINWAY
John R. (Dick) Anderso , volunteer for Smithsonian diary
project , sent me a long and detailed memo of his study of the
early dealership with clippings, ads, and lots of good stuff.
It is filed under BOLLMAN BROS. Too thick to duplicate for
each individual file.
HENRY Z. STEINWAY
109 WEST 57th STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
Saint Louis , MO, dealers
C.FRITZ #196 shipped Sept. 1856
BALMER & WEBER #1 822 shipped Nov. 12 , 1858 .
quite a while.
I believe they were dealers for
CONOVER BROS . 3 April 1879 ( source diary ) deal is made with Conover . These were
two brothers who had a store in Kansas City since 1870. In 1880
Conover decides to become a piano maker and moves to New York City.
J.MOXTER & co .
At some point he becomes dealer , then gets in financial trouble,
and shoots himself . We send employee Edward Ambuhl out to run
the business , and take it over.
BOLLMAN BROS .
In 1888 this company id formed by William Steinway , and takes over
Moxter assets . At William ' s death in 1896 his stock is sold by
the estate . Have no idea how long they stayed as Steinway Dealer.
AEOLIAN co .
From some sales book I noted that in January , 1914 , Aeolian took
over agency from FIELD-LIPPMAN.
Aeolian co of Missouri was at some point owned by Perry Kreisler,
not the Aeolian co . The family stayed in business up into the
1950s or 1960s , at which point the competitor store LUDWIG bought
them out , and took over the Steinway franchise.
See separate summary on BOLLMAN BROS . Late in 1888 . Steinway
arranged to buy out the Conover Bros * store for Bollman.
CONOVER , the factory sold out to the CABLE co . of Chicago, and
Continued as CONOVER -CABLE for quite a while.
BOLL'MSAN BROS.
Piano Dealer in St. Louis,owned by Steinway individuals
1888
DIRECTOR MINUTES 24 Aug p.95 J.Moxter & co. St. Louis in trouble.Edward Ambuhl
sent there to protect our interests in conjunction with Ernest
Gabler & co. (another piano maker)
DLZECTOR MINUTES P. 96 Jacob Moxter shot himself . Ambuhl authorized to carry on
the business .(Ambuhl is a Steinway employee)
DIRECTOR 11M;INUTES P. 98 Oct 31 President authorized to buy $35 000 in newly formed
company Bollman Bros . of St . Louis and Kansas City , and sell our
interest in J. Moxter & co. to Bollman co,
Oct 31 Long talk with Otto Bollman of St . Louis.
Nov 2 Company formed with Otto and Oscar Bollman , also Ernest Gabler .( Subsequent
entries note fili- g of )apers,etc.)
Nov 27 Ambuhl telegraphs that Mrs. Noxter transferred business and has been paid
today.
Dec 11 Bollman Bros. buys from Frank Conover the Conover Bros. business in Kansas
City.(Conover Bros. moved to N.Y. and became piano makers.)
DIRECTOR. MINUTES 26 Dec Boliman Bros . shares issued.
1889
Feb 3 Bollman prospering.
DIRECTOR MINUTES 7 May Steinway & Sons sells it' s shares to individuals William Steinway
129
Nephew
50
Henry W.T.Steinway
Nephew
50
Charles H Steinway
Nephew
50
Fred T Steinway
Henry Ziegler
George A Steinway
40
20
Nahum Stetson
10
Harry Low
1
Nephew
son
Steinway Sales MEgr.
Wm.'s personal Asst.
1890
Jan 17 Annual meeting. Otto Bollman demanding for them one half of the stock.
1891
Jan 16 Bollman makes $25 000 in St. Louis and loses $20 000 in Kansas City.(Kansas
City store closed this year.)
1892
Jan 15 Bollman meeting . They lost money.
BOLLMAN BROS. Page 2
1893
Jan 20 Bollman meeting. Wm. elected Pres. 8% dividend declared.
1894
Jan 20 Bollman meeting. Small profit,no dividend.
1895
Jan 18 Bollman meeting.8% dividend. Re-elect all officers.
William died in Nov. 1896. His estate sold his stock
for $11,400 in Jan 18 1897. It cost $12 000.
An old copy of a trade paper Jan 17 1914 indicates that
ban'.^ru?tcy of Bollman is being finished up with small claims.
The first dealer in St. Louis was BALK & 1413BER,who
was first shipped in the year 1858.Oo not know if they continued up
to 14oxter,or when Moxter got t',e agency.
fir.
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MOXTER , J. & Co. St. Louis Rio.
Mist have acquired the business from Conover.
in 1888 got into financial troubles,Jacob ivioxter
shot himself,Steinway sent Edward Ambuhl out
to protect our interests.In 1888 our interest
sold to BOLL11AN BROS.. a firm formed with Steinway
Equity.