Hallet, Davis & Co. History

Mr. Brown and Mr. Hallet had an early start on making pianos in the United States. They founded their company as Brown & Hallet in 1835 at 293 Washington St in Boston, MA. The original company name did not last for long as partnerships changed and owners left to form different companies. Brown retired in 1843 and went to work with Allen seven years later, the same Allen that was a part of Hallet, Allen & Cumston in 1847. [1]

Hallet worked with George H. Davis during the four years that separated his partnership with Brown and his collaboration with Allen and Cumston. In 1879, after the original owners were no longer leading the company, the acting president, E. N. Kimball, incorporated the business as Hallet, Davis & Co. During that time C. C. Conway was treasurer and E. E. Conway was the secretary, which led to the Conway family taking control of the company in 1905. The Conway family merged the company with their family business, the Conway Piano Co, in order to form the Continental Piano Co in 1928. Aeolian Piano Company bought Hallet & Davis during the Great Depression and continued to manufacture pianos under the Hallet & Davis name until the 1980s. [1]

Today, the Hallet & Davis name is used by the North American Music Inc. based out of New York City, and the pianos are manufactured in China to lower the cost of production. The modern-day Hallet & Davis has nothing more than the name in common with the original company. [1]

The Hallet, Davis & Co Piano Line 

Hallet, Davis & Co. constructed pianos in the square, upright, and grand styles. The company adapted to the changing market and discontinued the square pianos in 1890, and then joined the movement of player pianos that swept across the nation at the turn of the century. Their finest and most expensive player piano was called the Virtuolo, which was built from 1905 to 1925. [2]

Restoring an old Hallet & Davis

Hallet, Davis & Co pianos were well made and therefore considered high-quality pianos in their day, but over time pianos tend to lose value. A properly maintained and frequently tuned piano has a longer lifespan and is more likely to be worth a restoration.

If you have an old Hallet & Davis that is in need of repairs, please contact Lindeblad. We are happy to assist with any question or concerns you might have. Contact us today!

References:

[1] Pierce, W. Robert. Pierce Piano Atlas: Anniversary Edition, 2017 Our 70th Year. Albuquerque: Ashley, 2017. Print.

[2] http://antiquepianoshop.com/online-museum/virtuolo/