Melville Clark Pianos
Melville Clark pianos remain one of the world’s highly esteemed piano manufacturing companies of its time. Established by its namesake and Story and Clark co-founder, Melville Clarke had produced one of the best pianos on the market in his time.
Mr. Clarke had won such fame and prominence in the trade and industry, long before the establishment of the Melville Clark factory, that this new production plant "seemed but a continuation of his former energies without interruption." (See link below)
Company History
Melville Clark left the prominent Story and Clark Piano Company to establish his own firm which he named Melville Clark Piano Company in 1900. The company introduced the Apollo line of pianos and player pianos in 1901.
Mr. Clarke was an inventor and innovator. The Apollo instruments he manufactured were considered of very high quality and of advanced innovation during their time.
The pianos the firm manufactured were under the names of Melville Clark, Apollo, Art-Apollo and Apollophone (a player piano with a built in phonograph); these instruments became popular since they are combinations of traditional pianos with the touch of technological advances and innovations.
In the 1920, the renowned Rudolph Wurlitzer Company gained control of both Melville Clark and Apollo. It nevertheless continued to manufacture the Melville Clark line of pianos until the onset of World War II, when piano manufacturing was put to halt. The company restructured its operations in 1935, and moved all their piano production to the DeKalb plant, making it the world's sole producer of Wurlitzer pianos.
Present Day Manufacturing
After the War, the company resumed operation and began producing Melville Clark and Apollo pianos. Melville Clark pianos are manufactured today, although they are under the management and supervision of The De KaIb Piano Company of De KaIb, Illinois.
The line now consists of a small grand piano and an electric
expression grand piano. The instruments are still of excellent quality
and are available in many different designs that lives up to the name of
Melville Clark as being a man of technological advancement and
innovations.
Read More About the Melville Clark History Here
Melville Clark Pianos
Serial Numbers and Piano Age
Locate the serial number of your Melville Clark piano here along with the piano age.
1900 - 100
1901 - 2075
1905 - 8700
1910 - 16000
1911 - 17800
1913 - 22000
1915 - 24400
1920 - 40000
1925 - 63000
1927 - 150000
1930 - 118000
1932 - 130000
1934 - 134000
1935 - 136000
1937 - 150000
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