Kohler and Chase were established in 1850, starting as a toy and
notion shop and selling musical instruments. They were not wholly in
the music business until about 1853 or 54. Mr. Kohler imported nothing
but French and German upright pianos at that time. In 1860 they were
fully established as a regular music house, on Clay street and
afterwards moved to Post street. The same year A. Kohler opened a
large wholesale house on Sansome street. The first grand pianos were
imported by them about 1859. They came from Europe and arrived on
board ship just in time to be exhibited at the first Mechanic's Fair,
held in a building put up for that purpose on Montgomery street. At
that time Montgomery street toward Market street consisted mostly of
vacant lots. Kohler & Chase's music house has been one of the most
successful during all these years of changes which have come during
all these years. They had nothing but successful advancement until our
great earthquake demolished the entire city and they suffered as did
other music houses, but at the present time of writing they are housed
in a most magnificent building of their own on O'Farrell street and
Bagley place, built especially for them, and ten stories in height.
They occupy the entire building. It is the largest and most complete
music house in the West and an acknowledged musical center.
When the Matthias Gray Company went out of business Mr. McCurrie
selected from the shelves the music and books for the store of Wm. B.
Frisbee & Company, opened in the old Masonic Temple, Montgomery street
near Market. With Mr. Frisbee was the late H.M. Bosworth, a leading
organist and critic, Bohemian, etc. Later the firm became Frisbee &
Scott. Gustave A. Scott, now dead, was a well known and successful
music teacher and for many years organist of Calvary Church on Bush
street, and later at the corner of Geary and Powell streets. He was
also organist for the synagogue on Mason and Geary, Rabbi Bettelheim,
pastor, and accompanist for the early Handel & Haydn Society on
California and Dupont streets, where we occupied Dr. Lacey's church
with Mr. Oliver as business director and a brother of Judge Shafter as
one of the musical committee of the society which numbered 500 fine
singers. Later the business of Frisbee & Scott was transferred to the
southwest corner of Kearny and Sutter streets. Changing hands again
the business was taken over by A.A. Rosenberg, another music teacher,
and finally became known as the firm of Sherman & Hyde, Mr. Sherman
having been in the employ of A.A. Rosenberg. After several years,
Sherman & Hyde became known as Sherman, Clay & Company, who have been
doing a successful business, occupying at the present time a fine
building which has been erected since the earthquake. They are one of
the leading music houses. Since the earthquake the senior member,
Major C.C. Clay, has passed away. The business is now incorporated and
among the officials are Mr. Fred Sherman, son of L.S. Sherman, and Mr.
Phillip Clay, son of the late Major Clay. Mr. Leander Sherman, one of
the founders of the firm, is still living and continues in the
business as in former years. The firm also owns its own building in
Oakland at the corner of Fourteenth and Clay streets, built since the
earthquake, one of the finest structures in the business center of
Oakland.
[Illustration:
Zeno Mauvais
Julius R. Weber
William G. Badger
C.H. McCurrie
Matthias Gray