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Louis O. Rogers is Appointed Sales AAgr. of
Kohler & Campbell Inc; Other Appointments
Julius A. White, President of Kohler
\ Campbell. Inc.. announced this month
the appointment of Louis 0. Rogers as
Sales Manager of the company. Mr.
Kogers has been south and southeastern
representative of the company for the
last few years, and has traveled con-
sistently throughout the eastern sea-
hoard during that time. From now on.
he will have entire supervision of the
wholesales of the company and will in
the near future make a trip to the
Pacific coast.
Mr. Rogers is well-known throughout
the industry. He has been connected
with piano selling all his business life.
At one time he traveled for Kohler In-
dustries in the old days, representing
the Autopiano Co. and the Brambaeh
Piano Co. During his career, he has
visited practically every state in the
union, and has served two terms as
President of the National Piano Trav-
elers Association.
After the liquidation of the Kohler
Industries. Mr. Rogers joined the sales
organization of the Lester Piano Mfg.
Co. in Philadelphia. It was from there
that he returned to the Kohler & Camp-
bell, Inc. after this company resumed
business in its new plant at 163rd St.
and Melrose Ave.. New York, which
was occupied after the war.
At the present time, the company oc-
cupies a plant comprising over 100.000
-quare feet, which is one of the largest
piano manufacturing plants in the east,
and has every modern facility for man-
ufacturing pianos as well as railroad
-iding and facilities for lumber stor-
age.
Two New Travelers
At the same time that Mr. White an-
nounced the appointment of Mr. Rogers.
he also announced that James J. Fraties
had been appointed middle western rep-
resentative for the company, and A. J.
Writer southwest representative.
Mr. Fraties is well-known throughout
the piano industry and was for many
years connected with the Lester Piano
Mfg. Co. Mr. Writer has also had con-
siderable experience calling on the
music merchants, as he was connected
for some time with the Central Com-
mercial Corp.. manufacturers of the
Organo.
The Pacific coast is now covered by
L. Carroll Day. who makes his head-
quarters in Portland. Ore. Mr. Fraties
will make his headquarters in Philadel-
phia and Mr. Writer in Dodge City,
Kans.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1952
Gustave Behning will cover the New
York City metropolitan area as usual.
Before leaving for his trip to the far
west. Mr. Rogers stated that with the
splendid coverage \shich the company
now has throughout the countrv. cotn-
Industries. In 1941. under Mr. White's
supervision. Kohler & Campell. Inc.
again came into the field as manufac-
turers, and continued up until the War
Production Board issued an order stop-
ping all piano production. At the ter-
mination of the war. Kohler & Camp-
bell. Inc. bought the present extensive
factory which they occupy at 163rd St.
and Melrose Ave. in the Bronx.
Now Twelve Models
When the company resumed business,
it commenced to produce two console
models, but at the present time the line
comprises twelve models, many of them
in authentic period designs produced
in a great variety of woods. Among
the new instruments which were intro-
duced this summer was the French Pro-
vincial in American walnut, a 40-inch
spinet piano, and a Model S-38 in Nu-
bian oak, as well as a Model D-38.
which besides being produced in ma-
hogany. American walnut and blonde
oak, created a great deal of interest in
topaz mahogany. The latter two instru-
ments are 38 inches high.
Control Many Names
LOUIS O. ROGERS
bined with the fact that the company
now occupies the entire 100,000 square
footage of the extensive factory and is
operating very efficiently, production is
steadily increasing and there has been
a perceptible increase in dmand for
Kohlr & Campbell pianos during this
last half of 1952.
Founded in 1896
Kohler & Campbell. Inc. was founded
in 1896. One of the founders was the
late Charles Kohler. The company at
the present time is being maintained by
the second and third generations of the
Kohler family. Mrs. Rita Kohler White,
daughter of the late founder, is Vice-
President of the company, Charles
Kohler White is a Vice-President. as
well as Gerard M. Thompson, son-in-
law of the Whites, who is also a Vice-
President of the National Piano Trav-
elers Association.
Julius A. White, President of the
company, is a son-in-law of the late
Charles Kohler, one of the founders of
the business, and has been a trustee of
the Kohler estate for many years. He.
joined the Kohler organization in 1921
as Treasurer of Kohler & Campbell. Inc.
In 1929 it fell to him to carry out a
plan of liquidation and readjustment
of the vast enterprises of the Kohler
At the time of the founding of the
company, it was located in 14th St..
New York. A few years had gone by.
however, before the business had grown
to such proportions that a much larger
factory was acquired at 50th St. and
Kleventh Ave. It was here that the real
development of the business took place,
and by the time that Charles Kohler
had passed away in 1913 at the early
age of 44 years, he had established the
Milton Piano Co.. the Autopiano Co..
Auto-Pneumatic Action Co.. Standard
Pneumatic Action Co. and purchased
and set up as individual factories Hazel-
ton Bros.. Francis Bacon Piano Co..
Behning Piano Co.. Behr Bros. Co..
Brambaeh Piano Co.. Davenport &
Tracy Piano Co.. Kroeger Piano Co.
and Stults & Bauer. All of these names
and others including the Astor. J. C.
Campbell. Carter. Gordon. Charles
Kohler. A. M. McPhail Newton, Pres-
ton. Symphtone and Waldorf are con-
trolled by the company. At the peak of
its career, when the Kohler Industries
were operating as a group of manufac-
turing establishments, approximately
32.000 pianos and player pianos per
year were produced, and upwards of
50.000 player actions.
At the present time, the company is
again hitting its stride and its piano
production is steadily increasing as
more representative dealers through-
out the country are being able to secure
the line in their territory.
II