Horn-u-Copia's Display of Makers

• 1872 Carl (Charles)Fischer (1849-1923) emigrates from Germany to NY and opens a music store, #79 E. 4th St.supplying sheet music and imported instruments from Europe
• 1880 now at #26 4th Ave., music publisher (directory); living with father-in-law Gotthard Strich, musician (census)
• 1883 now at #6 4th Ave. (dir.)
• 1886 ad says, ‘sole agent for F. Besson & Co’s Prototype Band Instruments’ (photo 3), #6 4th Ave.
• 1900 sons Carl Jr (1880-1912) & Walter (1882-1946) are both working as clerks (census)
• 1909 son George W. Fischer (b.1885) dies; he is listed as a music publisher on the death certificate
• 1910 Carl Jr. is a manager for Carl Fischer (census); #6 4th Ave.
• 1912 Walter becomes a full partner in the business
• 1914 now listed at #48 Cooper Square W. (dir.)
• 1918 now at #46-54 Cooper Sq. (draft)
• 1920 Walter Fischer Jr. (1906-1932) becomes a partner
• 1923 Carl dies and the business is incorporated as Carl Fischer, Inc. with Walter S. Fischer president; they have a new store at #56-62 Cooper Sq.
• In 1929/30, Greenleaf purchased the assets of Ludwig & Ludwig (percussion), Carl Fischers musical instrument department and the Soprani Company (accordions).
• 1939 Walter’s son-in-law Frank Hayden Connor (1902-1977) becomes his assistant (married to Phoebe b.1911)
• 1940 Fischer buys York & Son band inst. in Grand Rapids, MI; sold through C. Fischer Musical Inst. Co., #105-107 E. 16th. The manufacturing of York instruments went on until the 1970s at the York plant in Grand Rapids, Mi. under the directorship of the Carl Fischer Musical Instrument Co.. During this period Carl Fischer also imported many different musical instruments from Europe, marking them as Carl Fischer instruments. York instruments subsequently declined in quality.
• 1946 at Walter’s death, Frank H. Connor becomes president
• 1947 Connor adds retail store at #165 W. 57th St.
• 1959 #165 W. 57th St. store closes
• 1970 York sold to Tolchin Musical Instruments, Melville, NY
• 1977 Frank’s son Walter Fischer Connor (1938-1996) becomes president; Frank Jr. is manager
• 1996? Walter’s brother Frank Jr. becomes president
• 1998 Fischer is sold to Boosey & Hawkes then Frank Jr. buys it back himself
• 1999 Cooper Sq. store closes; Sandy Feldstein is president

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