Information we have available on the historical brand Dominion Piano & Organ. We have information on many other piano brands as well, both past and current.
The Dominion Piano & Organ Company was one of Canada’s more successful piano manufactures of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The firm was originally established as the Oshawa Organ & Melodeon Company in 1870 by A.M. Darley and William Robinson. In about 1873, the firm moved to Bowmanville, Ontario. O’Hara joined the firm that same year. In about 1879, the firm started building pianos in addition to organs, and the name was changed to The Dominion Piano & Organ Company. In addition to the Dominion brand name, the firm produced pianos under the names “Farwell” and “Rainer & Company”.
The Dominion Piano & Organ Company went out of business in 1936.
Dominion Organ & Piano Company of Canada In 1870 A.M. Darley and William Robinson came up with a plan build musical instruments. Operating from the “Sons of Temperance” hall in Oshawa, Darley and Robinson took the name Oshawa Organ & Melodeon Mfg.
Within 3 years the growth of this company demanded larger business facilities. A new partner Mr. O’Hara was admitted to the firm and the entire operation relocated 5 miles to the east in Bowmanville Ontario.
Yamaha Piano Serial Numbers
By 1875 the name Dominion Organ Company was adopted. In 1879 this company entered the piano market. In 1894 the company changed management and this included further expansion. By 1910 there were more than 200 workers, 80,000 instruments had been produced and there were branch outlets in Germany, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Russia.
In 1916 the company’s vice-president was also the mayor of Bowmanville. This company also produced several lines of high quality gramophones in the 20’s., they also produced phonographs in the early 30’s. By 1933 the demand for this company’s products had fallen off considerably. In a 1988 interview with the son of the last owner there was mention of the fact that these early tall uprights were built so well that they did not depreciate enough to continue the volume of sales.
These were times when great pride was taken in manufacturing products for consumer use. Sadly this quality of build was a contributing factor in the downfall of many of these companies. By 1936 Dominion was forced into bankruptcy. I have several photos this company. One is of the original owners (1910), one is a drawing of the factory done in 1905, another is a “cut-out” montage over a drawing (1884). There is one of advertising in the Globe & Mail (1912) and one which is a caricature of the owner (1910) If you would like to have copies of these email me directly off my web site icon, as I am unable to attach them here. The only thing I could do on this forum is take a digital photo of them and post to an on-line photo album for you to download.