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Blasius & Sons

The firm of Blasius & Sons built very high quality, well-made instruments on a smaller scale from the 1850s until just before the Great Depression. Charles Blasius left his native home of Cologne, Germany to come to America at the young age of 25. In Pre-Civil War America, Blasius had the privilege of apprenticing with some of the most important piano men in American history. After mastering the art of fine piano building, Charles Blasius established his own company in 1855 in Trenton, New Jersey. In 1857, Blasius moved his firm to Philadelphia, a hub of major piano manufacturing by many great makers. There he established his firm as “Blasius & Sons” after admitting his two sons Levi and Oscar into partnership.

In 1887, Blasius & Sons purchased the illustrious firm of Albrecht & Company.  Blasius continued to build the Albrecht name well in to the early 20th Century.  Instruments by Blasius & Sons were known to be of exceptional quality and craftsmanship, and the firm received many celebrity endorsements for the quality and tone of his pianos.

THOMAS EDISON ENDORSES THE BLASIUS PIANO-

Perhaps the most influential of celebrity endorsements for Blasius & Sons was world famous inventor, Thomas A. Edison. Known as “The World’s Greatest Acoustician” and the inventor of electricity and the phonograph, Edison worked tirelessly trying to successfully record the piano so that it could be faithfully reproduced on his early cylinder records. Edison stated that “my experiments prefer the ‘BLASIUS’ in Tone, Finish, Workmanship and Construction; The BLASIUS PIANO surpasses all others.”

In 1895, Blasius & Sons proudly advertised a letter handwritten and signed by Thomas Edison stating the following:

Messrs. Blasius & Sons,
Philadelphia,

Gentlemen:
I have been using your piano for the past two years for experiments on the phonograph at the laboratory. Of all the instruments tried, my experimenters prefer the Blasius.
Yours,
(Signed) Thomas A. Edison

After receiving this amazing endorsement, Blasius & Sons became known as “The Tone Standard Of The World”.

INSTRUMENT CATALOGS & EPHEMERA

Can you find your instrument listed in these antique catalogs?

Blasius Piano Catalog 1
Blasius Illustrated Piano Catalog, Circa 1890
Blasius Advertisements
Period Advertisements for the Blasius Piano Company of Philadelphia
Thomas A. Edison Endorses Blasius & Sons
Late 19th Century Handwritten Endorsement From Thomas A. Edison
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