From a Blank Page to a Wealth of Knowledge

The journeys to get Oral History interviews include valuable talks about long since-closed companies.
When NAMM Historian Dan Del Fiorentino ventured out to Brattleboro, Vermont, and the Estey Organ Company, he wasn't sure what to expect, considering the company closed in 1960. The company, which also produced pianos in its factory in Brooklyn, New York, dates back to 1846, and also was an exhibitor at the very first NAMM Show in 1902. Over the years, Dan had read how the factory workers from Estey were passing away and he worried the stories from the company may be lost.

He was able to interview six people related to the company, including three factory workers, an Estey family member who has his own piano retail store in New Jersey, the founding president of the Estey Organ Museum (where the interviews took place) and a man who wrote the history of the company a few years back.

Before this visit, NAMM's collection of interviews had nothing on the Estey Company—and now, thanks to several supporters, Dan was able to connect with key people like John Wessel, Les Nicholas and Dennis Waring for these insightful interviews!

It's stories like this that keep Dan on the lookout for employees from other key companies that have merged with others or closed. York Band Instruments (merged with Yamaha in 1971) and Poole Piano (merged with Everett in 1926). Do you know anyone from these companies, or others we have missed? Please send a note to dand@namm.org.