Willis & Co. is a piano manufacturer, formerly founded in 1884 by Alexander Parker Willis and based in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany.[4] A retailer of Willis & Co. in Canada was sold by the Willis family in 1967,[4] and went out of business in 1979.[5] The global branch was merged with the Landshut Willis company in Germany.[4]
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments[1] |
| Founded | 1884[2] |
| Founder | Alexander Parker Willis[3] |
| Headquarters | Landshut, Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Grand pianos and upright pianos |
| Website | willispiano.com |
History
editIn 1884, a retailer of Willis & Co. was established in Quebec, Montreal[6] by Alexander Parker Willis.[4]
In 1900, Willis & Co. acquired the major shares of the Lesage & Fils piano factory.[7]
In 1907, Willis & Co. purchased controlling interest in the Lesage Piano Company and the firm started producing “Willis & Company” brand pianos full time.[8]
In 1910, at its peak, Willis & Co. made close to 3000 pianos each year.[9]
In 1967, the Canadian retailer was vended by the Willis family, and the global branch was merged with the Landshut Willis company in Germany.[4]
On August 30, 1976, brand Willis (registered number:DE948592[10]) was approved by German Patent and Trade Mark Office.[10]
Willis' latest trademark update time took place on June 29, 2016,[11] whose current registered number is DE302016214832.[12]
References
edit- ^ Lisgar Collegiate Institute. Vox Lycei 1928-1929. Lisgar Alumni Association. pp. 43–. GGKEY:YRY9YYJW6E7.
- ^ Pierce Piano Atlas, Volume 12. Bob Pierce. 2008. ISBN 9780911138078. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ "Willis & Company". antiquepianoshop.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "About Willis & Co. Pianos". willispiano.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ "Willis & Company Ltd.-The Canadian Encyclopedia". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Feb 7, 2006.
- ^ W.H. New; William Herbert New (6 August 2003). A History of Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 376–. ISBN 978-0-7735-2597-9.
- ^ Robert Palmieri (June 2004). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-1-135-94964-8.
- ^ "Willis clan left mark in entertainment, news industries". Retrieved 23 Aug 2011 – via PressReader.
- ^ Willis & Company. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ a b "WIPO Global Brand Database DE948592 - Willis". World Intellectual Property Organization. August 30, 1976.
- ^ "Registerauskunft des Deutschen Patent- und Markenamtes". German Patent and Trade Mark Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ "WIPO Global Brand Database DE302016214832 - Willis". World Intellectual Property Organization. Retrieved June 29, 2016.