William Lewis and Son
Encyclopedia
William Lewis & Son - was a distinguished firm in Chicago
that specialized in fine musical instruments and bow
s.
Established in 1874, stayed in the business for over 80 years.
They amassed a very important collection of the finest instruments (of the violin family) which included Antonio Stradivarius, Giuseppe Guarneri
, Domenico Montagnana
, Sanctus Serafin, Lorenzo Storioni
, Rugeri, Joannes Baptista Guadagnini, Nicolas Lupot
, J. B. Vuillume
to name a few, as well as an important fine bow collection including bows by François Tourte
, Dominique Peccatte
, Nicolaus Kittel
, Jean Pierre Marie Persois
and many others.
The firm built up a clientele extending from coast to coast, enjoying the confidence of prominent musicians, professional and amateur. With broad experience, came the recognition of their establishment as "Violinist's Headquarters" to which resident and visiting players flocked when in Chicago. Many important makers and restorers worked for their firm including Carl Becker and Frank Kovanda
.
This firm was responsible for many important publications such as "How Many Strads" by Ernest N. Doring (who worked for the firm), Violins & Violinists magazine (of which Doring was also editor) and "BOWS for Musical Instruments" by Joseph Roda.
As a violinist, William was regarded as a child prodigy. At age of eight young William was appearing in concerts and some English critics were hailing him as a musical prodigy. In 1850 he was brought to America by his parents, the family settling in Bellevue, Ohio.
Soon after he joined a musical troupe known as the Continental Vocalists. While on trips to NYC, he took lessons from Theodore Thomas, who was later to become renowned not only as founder of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but as the foremost of American conductors. With the outbreak of civil war, came the arrival of William Lewis in Chicago in 1862, where he joined the music house of Root & Cady, which had been established in 1860. Unfortunately the Great Chicago Fire
of 1871 which among other things destroyed the Crosby Opera House and brought an end to the leading musical firm of Root & Cady.
However out of the ruins of that fire, arose the musical house of William Lewis & Son.
When Root & Cady came to an end, its senior partner was Ebenezer Towner Root, brother of George Root.
In 1874 William Lewis and Ebenezer Towner Root joined hands and formed the new musical instrument house of Root & Lewis. This was the parent firm of William Lewis & Son Co.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that specialized in fine musical instruments and bow
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
s.
Established in 1874, stayed in the business for over 80 years.
They amassed a very important collection of the finest instruments (of the violin family) which included Antonio Stradivarius, Giuseppe Guarneri
Giuseppe Guarneri
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
, Domenico Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana was an Italian master luthier based in Venice, Italy. He is regarded as one of the world's finest violin and cello makers of his time....
, Sanctus Serafin, Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni is considered one of the last of the classic Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
, Rugeri, Joannes Baptista Guadagnini, Nicolas Lupot
Nicolas Lupot
Nicolas Lupot - born in Stuttgart, 1758-1824, was one of the most illustrious French Luthier/ Violin Makers of his time. He apprenticed under his father and worked in Orleans until 1794....
, J. B. Vuillume
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume was an illustrious French violin maker. He made over 3,000 instruments and was also a fine businessman and an inventor.-Early life:...
to name a few, as well as an important fine bow collection including bows by François Tourte
François Tourte
François Xavier Tourte was a Frenchman who, though trained as a watchmaker, soon changed to making bows for playing classical string instruments such as the violin....
, Dominique Peccatte
Dominique Peccatte
Dominique Peccatte was an influential French luthier and bow maker. He was apprenticed in Mirecourt and later worked with Jean Baptiste Vuillaume....
, Nicolaus Kittel
Nicolaus Kittel
Nicolaus Kittel, fully Nikolai Ferdinandovich Kittel was a Russian bow maker who until recently thought to be of German origin, and was known as the "Russian Tourte"....
, Jean Pierre Marie Persois
Jean Pierre Marie Persois
Jean Pierre Marie Persoit [Persois] - was a great and intriguing French bowmaker or Archetier.One of the first bowmakers to be hired by the young Jean Baptiste Vuillaume....
and many others.
The firm built up a clientele extending from coast to coast, enjoying the confidence of prominent musicians, professional and amateur. With broad experience, came the recognition of their establishment as "Violinist's Headquarters" to which resident and visiting players flocked when in Chicago. Many important makers and restorers worked for their firm including Carl Becker and Frank Kovanda
Frank Kovanda
Frank Kovanda - an internationally known American maker of bows .Born in Chicago, he learned violin making from and worked for John Hornsteiner of Chicago, violin maker....
.
This firm was responsible for many important publications such as "How Many Strads" by Ernest N. Doring (who worked for the firm), Violins & Violinists magazine (of which Doring was also editor) and "BOWS for Musical Instruments" by Joseph Roda.
Biography
William Lewis was born at Devonshire, England in 1837, the son of a noted cellist, from whom he inherited his unusual talent for music.As a violinist, William was regarded as a child prodigy. At age of eight young William was appearing in concerts and some English critics were hailing him as a musical prodigy. In 1850 he was brought to America by his parents, the family settling in Bellevue, Ohio.
Soon after he joined a musical troupe known as the Continental Vocalists. While on trips to NYC, he took lessons from Theodore Thomas, who was later to become renowned not only as founder of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but as the foremost of American conductors. With the outbreak of civil war, came the arrival of William Lewis in Chicago in 1862, where he joined the music house of Root & Cady, which had been established in 1860. Unfortunately the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
of 1871 which among other things destroyed the Crosby Opera House and brought an end to the leading musical firm of Root & Cady.
However out of the ruins of that fire, arose the musical house of William Lewis & Son.
When Root & Cady came to an end, its senior partner was Ebenezer Towner Root, brother of George Root.
In 1874 William Lewis and Ebenezer Towner Root joined hands and formed the new musical instrument house of Root & Lewis. This was the parent firm of William Lewis & Son Co.