| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Founder | Alexander Parker Willis |
| Headquarters | Landshut, Germany |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Grand pianos and upright pianos |
| Website | willispiano.com |
Willis & Co. is a piano manufacturer, formerly founded in 1884 by Alexander Parker Willis and based in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany. A retailer of Willis & Co. in Canada was sold by the Willis family in 1967, and went out of business in 1979. The global branch was merged with the Landshut Willis company in Germany.
History
In 1884, a retailer of Willis & Co. was established in Quebec, Montreal by Alexander Parker Willis.
In 1900, Willis & Co. acquired the major shares of the Lesage & Fils piano factory.
In 1907, Willis & Co. purchased controlling interest in the Lesage Piano Company and the firm started producing “Willis & Company” brand pianos full time.
In 1910, at its peak, Willis & Co. made close to 3000 pianos each year.
In 1967, the Canadian retailer was vended by the Willis family, and the global branch was merged with the Landshut Willis company in Germany.
On August 30, 1976, brand Willis (registered number:DE948592) was approved by German Patent and Trade Mark Office.
Willis' latest trademark update time took place on June 29, 2016, whose current registered number is DE302016214832.
References
- Lisgar Collegiate Institute. Vox Lycei 1928-1929. Lisgar Alumni Association. pp. 43–. GGKEY:YRY9YYJW6E7.
- Pierce Piano Atlas, Volume 12. Bob Pierce. 2008. ISBN 9780911138078. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- "Willis & Company". antiquepianoshop.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ "About Willis & Co. Pianos". willispiano.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- "Willis & Company Ltd.-The Canadian Encyclopedia". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Feb 7, 2006.
- W.H. New; William Herbert New (6 August 2003). A History of Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 376–. ISBN 978-0-7735-2597-9.
- Robert Palmieri (June 2004). The Piano: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-1-135-94964-8.
- "Willis clan left mark in entertainment, news industries". Retrieved 23 Aug 2011 – via PressReader.
- Willis & Company. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ "WIPO Global Brand Database DE948592 - Willis". World Intellectual Property Organization. August 30, 1976.
- "Registerauskunft des Deutschen Patent- und Markenamtes". German Patent and Trade Mark Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- "WIPO Global Brand Database DE302016214832 - Willis". World Intellectual Property Organization. Retrieved June 29, 2016.