Edith De Forest

Video

Oral History Information

Interview Date
Birth Date
Deceased Date
Job Title
Office Manager
Company Name
Pratt-Reed Company

Edith De Forest was associated with the Pratt-Read Company for over 70 years! She began working for the piano keys and action manufacturer in the early 1930s. Even after her retirement in the 1980s, she continued to work for the company’s museum. She later served as the company historian doing all her best to keep the stories of Pratt-Read alive and well. The company, which was established in 1798, has produced many products over the years from ivory combs for babies in the 1800s to tools for Sears today. In between, the founders developed a unique way to consistently manufacture ivory piano keys and later a wide range of piano actions, which have been included in hundreds of makes and models over the decades.