Violin making ran in his family and Rudolph Wurlitzer, of German decent, established his business,  as an importer of a whole range of European musical instruments, in Cincinnati in the mid 1850s.

While violins were his personal passion the company is best known for its organs.

As the banjo became a popular instrument he added them to his catalogue and at times he was the distributor for the Howard Banjo and other good quality instruments made for him by Fred Gretch.

Pictures courtesy of Cindy Purves