Janssen Piano Company Records
name: label: Creator
content: Janssen Piano Company.
topic: label: Topic
content: Picnicking -- 1900-1930
label: Topic
content: Piano -- Construction -- 1900-1930
label: Topic
content: Piano makers -- 1900-1930 -- New York
label: Topic
content: Musical instrument makers -- 1900-1930
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Charles P. Huether, June 13, 1994.
creator: label: Creator
content: Janssen Piano Company.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Janssen Piano Company Records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection is composed of six scrapbooks assembled by the Janssen Piano Company of New York. These contain clippings on manufacturing, piano models, and marketing techniques, as well as company-sponsored outings and picnics. Also includes brochures--listing names of Janssen Piano owners in various geographic areas--used as a marketing device.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Benjamin H. Janssen started his career in the piano line with Stephen Brambach in whose employ he remained for two years, then to the Estey house for two years.  Mathushek & Sons later became his employer for ten years as secretary.  Later he moved to the management of the retail department for George Steck where he made a reputation as a catalogue maker and advertising litterateur. From the Courier October 5, 1901 is the following: A ... Benjamin H. Janssen has resigned the position he has held for the past year with George Steck & Co. and entered the ranks of piano makers.  He has bought the business of the Alexander C. Kittel Piano Co. and will continue that business under his own name.  He was for a time associated with the Mathusek concern, and later was with the Brambach Piano Company, Dolgeville, N.Y.  Reportedly he was a musician, poet, composer, knew a great deal about pianos and was an accomplished salesman.  He was quoted as saying AAfter twenty years of hustling for others I have decided to do a little for myself.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Cubic foot
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1901-1929
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0512
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Pamphlets
label: Type
content: Clippings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is dovided into one series. 

Series 1: Scrapbooks, 1909-1928
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Robert Ageton, July 1997.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks -- 1900-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Pamphlets -- 1900-1930
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings -- 1900-1950
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: The collection consists of 6 volumes of scrapbooks and a folder containing 12 small brochures documenting the background of Benjamin  H. Janssen and the growth of the Janssen Piano Company from 1901 to 1928.  Pasted on the pages of these scrapbooks are catalogues, pamphlets, brochures, and newspaper and magazine clippings from the music trades and inserts taken from newspapers of various cities, mostly from the northeast and the midwest.  In addition, there are copies of advertising letters in foreign language with English translation adjacent to the posting.  Most of the foreign language letters are in Spanish.  Several poems by Janssen are displayed along with reference to his music compositions.