CABLE  Piano Company

The Cable Piano Company, Chicago established 1880 by Herman D. Cable born in New York in 1849. The Cable Piano Company was originally with the Wolfinger Organ Co., which later changed to the Western Cottage Organ Co., and then to Chicago Cottage Organ Co. In 1890 H. D. Cable consolidated with Conover Bros. and his two brothers, Fayette S. and Hobart M. Cable. Cable and Conover acquired the Schiller Piano Co. of Oregon, Ill. By 1920 The Cable Piano Co. had two factories. One factory located in Chicago at 22nd Street, Paulina and Dale Place. The second factory at St. Charles, Ill. In the 1920s George J. Dowling was president and The Cable Co. was manufacturing Conover, Cable, Kingsbury; and Wellington, and Schiller pianos. Player piano names Conover Carola Inner-Player, Conover Solo Carola Inner-Player, Carola Inner-Player, Solo Carola Inner-Player, Euphona Inner- Player, and Solo Euphona Inner-Player. “Tonarch” and “Crownstay”, trademarks of the Cable Co., Chicago. “Tonarch” a patented sounding-board-and- frame construction used in uprights and “Crownstay” designed to maintain the curvature of soundboards in grands. Other owners of the Cable Company include Aeolian with the factory at 2718 Pershing Ave., Memphis, TN., Jackson & Wabash, Chicago, Ill., and Winter & Co.

The Cable Piano Company claimed to be "the world's greatest manufacturer of pianos, inner player pianos, and organs." Cable built a factory in 1901 in St. Charles on 3.5 acres west of the Fox River. Cable Piano Company became known not only for its products, but also for its working conditions. During the factory's heyday in the early 1900s, there were as many as 500 employees, many of whom were women. Employees could enjoy the company sponsored brass band and male chorus, or play on the company baseball team. With its own electric plant and fire protection, the factory was also self-sufficient. As a result of the stock market crash and the ensuing depression, Cable Piano workers faced lay-offs. The first big lay-off occurred during Thanksgiving 1929. By 1936, few employees remained. Original company is now out of business. Gibson Guitars acquired the Cable name in 2001, when they purchased the Baldwin Co.

The original Cable Piano, an instrument of high standing and one which has always attained great popularity, is sold extensively in all parts of the United States and abroad. It possesses that pleasing attribute an exceptionally sweet tone, one of richness and exquisite delicacy, especially recommending it for studio and home use. Its lasting qualities are as unexcelled as skill, first-class workmanship and patient attention to the infinite details that piano building can insure. The original Cable Piano not only has the best qualities that distinguish an instrument of high standing, but those superior qualities of tone and action which are rendered possible by a construction and design especially adequate to the production of such desirable results. The Cable Studio piano, due to its rugged durability, has been selected and recognized by many schools, colleges, music conservatories and public institutions where long lasting service is a requisite. The durable features embodied in original Cable pianos over many years are still being employed in attractively designed consoles and spinets.

The Cable piano was an instrument of very high standing and one which also attained great popularity that was sold extensively in all parts of the world. The immense prestige The Cable Company, rendered the "Cable" a desirable piano from the standpoint of name brand recognition, as well as superb quality, stability, and tone that possessed a pleasing attribute of an exceptional richness and exquisite delicacy. A Cable piano not only had the best qualities that can distinguish instruments of high standing, those superior qualities of tone and action which were rendered possible by a construction and design

Especially adequate to the production of such desirable results. Embodied in the upright model was a patented sound board and frame construction which is a new and exclusive feature. Instruments having this construction bear the trademark "Tone Arch." The patented sounding-board-and-frame construction, in the grand model is a simple but most effective devices, consisting of a curved bracing member built into the frame. This is a part of an improved construction designed to maintain the proper curvature of the soundboard necessary to preserve the original tonal beauty of the instrument. Instruments having this construction bear the trade mark "Crown stay." The Cable Reproducing Grand has all the merits of the regular Cable Grand, including the famous "Crown stay" construction. Combined with a reproducing action made exclusively Cable which has been developed to the highest stage of perfection through a long series of experiments carried on in the great Cable factories.

Serial Numbers are for first piano made in year shown.

1885-3000     1913-172000 1929-287000 1953-326000 1968-392000
1890-11000   1914-180000 1930-293000 1954-333000 1969-396000
1895-23000   1915-188000 1931-300000 1955-336500 1970-402000
1900-30000   1916-196500 1932-301000 1956-338000 1971-407300
1902-40000   1917-203000 1933-302000 1957-339200 1972-411400
1903-45000   1918-210000 1934-303000 1958-342400 1973-415900
1904-50000   1919-217000 1935-304000 1959-345800 1974-420700
1905-65000   1920-224000 1936-305000 1960-350600 1975-425700
1906-80000   1921-232000 1937-306000 1961-355000 1976-429300
1907-95000   1922-236000 1947-308000 1962-360000 1977-434000
1908-110000 1923-242000 1948-311000 1963-365000 1978-437000
1909-122000 1925-258000 1949-315000 1964-372000 1979-443000
1910-140000 1926-265000 1950-318000 1965-379000 1980-448000
1911-155000 1927-271000 1951-321000 1966-384000 1981-451000
1912-164000 1928-277000 1952-323000 1967-388000 1982-455200


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