Books › Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937 › scan 239
Scan 239
Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937
10 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 213. See the scan on archive.org.
1Mr. Damm is primarily a musician. As such he has played the flute with Theodore Thomas' Symphony Orchestra, when it was in Boston, has been a member of the Germania Orchestra, was conductor in 1875 of the Dow Opera Company and traveled all over the United States with them, was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra under its first three conductors, and was a member and assistant conductor of A. Liberati's band, which played in the United States and Canada. In 1905 he was sent by Mr. Liberati to take charge of the flute making department of C. G. Conn Ltd., while their foreman was in charge of the company's display at the St. Louis Exposition.
3Because there were practically no makers of flutes, piccolos, clarinets and oboes when Mr. Damm settled in Boston, he went into instrument making and repairing by the purchase in April 1888 from Emile Bauer of the business started by the latter's father, William Bauer. Mr. Damm continued at the same address, [address hidden], and engaged Mr. Penkert, foreman of Theodore Berteling's factory in New York City, to help him. In 1889 the business was listed in the directory as Damm & Penkert. Sometime that year Eduard H. Wurlitzer came over from Germany to take Mr. Penkert's place. From 1890-96 the firm was known as August Damm & Co. From 1888 till 1897 Mr. Damm allowed first Mr. Penkert and then Mr. Wurlitzer to mark the instruments they made with their names, though they had no partnership in the business.
5Mr. Damm had the help of the best players in New York City and Boston who felt the same interest as he in the making of instruments which would produce a good full round tone. His company made flutes (Boehm system), piccolos, clarinets and some oboes and English horns, mostly to order. The customers generally selected their own materials. They used cocuswood (some dealers call it grenadillo)—black Africa being the most favorable kind—also some California rosewood. They made a few metal flutes of silver and built a special English horn (Corno Anglais) for Müller, the first oboe player of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Wilhelm Gericke's direction.4
7When Mr. Damm "gave" the business to E. H. Wurlitzer in 1897, the latter continued at [address hidden] from 1897 until it was bought out by Harry Bettoney in 1900. Mr. Wurlitzer was a
94 Statement of August Damm.
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