The Roth trumpets, cornets and trombones that had been manufactured by Ohio Band were rebranded under the F.A. in a July 1946 newspaper listing.ġ947: Under Scherl & Roth ownership, operations for Reynolds and Ohio Band were eventually merged and the latter’s Regent instrument line discontinued. Max Scherl is referred to as president of the F.A. Large tank capacity was available and satisfaction was guaranteed through 40 years of plating experience.ġ946: After spending over ten years building and securing his company’s place in the brass instrument industry and over 40 years in the industry overall, Foster Reynolds sold his shares of the operation to Max Scherl and/or the Scherl & Roth Company. Newspaper advertisements throughout 1943 advertise the company’s services for silver or gold plating of radio parts, electrical contact units and other parts through light or heavy deposit plating. While Reynolds continued making band instruments during World War II, they also made their facilities available for companies needing plating work on defense items. Reynolds made instruments for the military service bands until c.1950 these instruments have a large “U.S.” mark engraved near the rim of the bell. Olds and Conn, were forced to shut down instrument lines and produce wartime equipment. These contracts allowed the relatively new company to continue focusing on instrument production when many more-established manufacturers, e.g. Reynolds’ early success in producing technical advancements in brass instrument manufacturing was recognized by the United States military and the company was awarded considerable contracts to provide instruments for Army Air Force (USAAF) service bands during World War II. Regardless, he quickly moved to separate himself from his past work and establish his company’s own place in the industry. White workers whom he convinced to join him or whose services he “borrowed”). White and it is not unthinkable that Reynolds leaned heavily on his experience and relationships at his former employer as he began operations (especially H.N. Reynolds’ early instruments have much in common with the designs he was familiar with from his work at H.N. With an established reputation in the industry and access to skilled technical assistance in Cleveland, Reynolds was able to experiment with design improvements in his own factory and to produce that were rapidly recognized for superior workmanship and acoustical properties. Reynolds, served as treasurer of the company. They also note that the company started with four employees and now (1940) employed 80 men. In May 1940, the paper further reported that Reynolds had secured a second five-year lease (meaning the original report was incorrect, or that the first lease was later modified) through Granger for $18,000. President Reynolds has been engaged for 32 years in making of band instruments and also in the development of special mechanical equipment.Īccording to trademark documentation, the Reynolds name was first used for commerce in February 1936, which is consistent with the facts of the newspaper report. Twenty men now are employed and the force will be increased to 100 as soon as machinery and equipment are in. A subsidiary, the Ohio Band Instrument Co., will operate at the same place, making medium-priced band instruments for the commercial trade.Īccording to its officers, the Reynolds company has orders booked ahead for six months’ production from dealers in this country and Europe. E., containing 21,000 square feet of floor space and is expending $40,000 in alterations and installation of equipment for making high grade band instruments. The company has leased for ten years a modern three-story brick building at 2837-53 Prospect Avenue S. Reynolds, decided to locate here because of manufacturing conditions, nearness to supply of raw materials and convenience of distribution of the finished product. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported in late March of that year that:Īnother new industry has been located in Cleveland in a transaction reported closed yesterday by Granger Factory Space Brokers, 320 Hippodrome Building. The new company was located at 2845 Prospect Avenue in Cleveland, near the campus of former Fenn College, now Cleveland State University. In early 1936, a few months after his 51st birthday and more than 30 years work at the H.N.