PBA Galleries

88 pp. Photographically illustrated with violins, accessories, etc. 8¾x11¾, original pale green wrappers, front cover illustrated in black and red. With a few inserts laid in: small printed envelope (for strings); Special Sale of "Close-Outs" sheet printed on salmon-colored paper; Order Blank sheet printed on pale blue paper.

William Lewis & Son was established in 1874 and was in business for over 80 years, specializing in fine instruments and bows. The firm was known as "Violinist's Headquarters" and was the go-to place for musicians when visiting Chicago. The founder William Lewis was himself a child prodigy, appearing in concerts as young as 8 years old. Born in England, his family moved to the United States in 1850. He moved to Chicago in 1862 where he joined the music house Root & Cady. Unfortunately the firm terminated after the Chicago Fire of 1871, but from the ruins arose William Lewis's musical instrument house, Root & Lewis (later changed to William Lewis & Son). No copies of this catalog on OCLC / Worldcat, only a few from the 1960s.