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Many Piano Manufacturers Have Used
Cornwall-Patterson Hardware 70 Yrs.
Herman C. Spain With
So. California Music Co.
Herman C. Spain, veteran in the pi-
ano industry, has joined the Southern
California Music Co. as manager of the
Cornwall & Patterson Hardware, Inc.,
Bridgeport, Conn., has been celebrating
this year its 70th anniversary in manu-
facturing hardware for the piano indus-
try, and Harmon J. Cook, President of
the company, states that the greatest
pride of the company is its old cus-
tomers. "It is a thrill to read letters,"
said Mr. Cook, "written in the early
1880's by many of the company's cur-
rent customers. The company is proud
that it has conducted its affairs honestly
and produced its parts accurately. These
customers are still our close friends."
The old adage that "necessity is the
mother of invention" had somewhat of a
part in the establishment of the Corn-
wall & Patterson Co. which was incor-
porated in 1881. It was then that Jesse
B. Cornwall an experienced factory man
came to Bridgeport from Waterbury,
Conn, and with James T. Patterson, Jr.,
President of the Bridgeport Organ Co.,
formed the Cornwall & Patterson Co. to
manufacture many small metal parts
that are found in pianos and organs.
The Bridgeport Organ Co. had a
thriving business in the manufacture of
cottage organs back in the years when
Civil War veterans were at the age of
our World War II veterans. These
organs were made mostly with a jig-saw
at that time, if the pictures which are
now in existence are correct. The com-
pany also made the Patterson piano. At
that time it was found difficult to get
many metal parts that were required
for use in pianos and organs, so the
Bridgeport Organ Co. organized a de-
partment for that purpose and started
making them. This, therefore, was the
forerunner of the present hardware
business which is now celebrating its
70th anniversary.
is that, with the exception of dimen-
sional changes, they are virtually the
same parts that were made by the com-
pany 70 years ago. The peculiar nature
of many of the parts has made it neces
sary for the company to develop and
build its own machinery. Needless to
say, that while the parts may be much
the same as they were years ago, the
machines that make them are decidedly
not. For years the engineering depart-
ment has been developing better and
better equipment to furnish not only
more accurate parts to the many cus-
tomers in this country and abroad, but
also to make them to sell at cheaper
prices. This type of development and
improvement is inherent in American
industry, and is responsible for making
better pianos suitable for every pocket-
book.
The company, which in the beginning
occupied space in The Bridgeport Organ
Company, built its own building in
Bridgeport in 1890. and remained at
this location until about 12 years ago,
when it moved to its present location.
Here, with the additions that have been
built, is ample floor space and facilities.
A considerable proportion of the
company's employees have been with H
for many years, and each Christmas,
there are a few with whom the company
celebrates their 40th anniversary. Per-
haps because there are so many old
employees, the company has never had
a strike or slow-down due to labor
troubles.
Hardware Business Grew
As the business grew, it became ap-
parent that the manufacture of hard-
ware parts proved to be more profitable
than the making of cottage organs and
pianos, and the Bridgeport Organ Co.
liquidated many years ago. Cornwall &
Patterson Co., however, grew bigger and
bigger and has furnished its parts:
check, damper, hook and bridle wires,
spoons, regulating screws, damper bush
ings and screws, springs, damper rods,
bearing bars, etc., in fact almost every
metal part in a piano except the plate
and the strings. It has also produced
much hardware for the organ industry.
HAMMOND • MINSHALL • WURLITZER
Little Change in Piano Hardware
An astonishing fact about these parts
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, DECEMBER, 1951
HERMAN
C. SPAIN
piano department, according to an an-
nouncement by William E. Forbes, vice
president and general manager.
Mr. Spain began his business career
in the retail sales department of Hallet
& Davis in Boston and remained with
that company until 1925 when he joined
Chickering & Sons as wholesali sales
manager.
In 1930, when manufacturing was
consolidated in East Rochester, Mr,
Spain, as a vice president of the Ameri-
can Piano Co.. was placed in charge of
retail activities in Boston.
Ten years later he came to California
as manager of the piano department of
the May Company, a post he held until
his present appointment with Southern
California Music Company.
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3015 CASITAS AVE. • LOS ANGELES 39. CALIF.
31