Bublitz Case Company
Encyclopedia
The Bublitz Case Company was a manufacturer of musical instrument cases in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Assets of the Bublitz Case Company were bought by G. Leblanc Corporation, a manufacturer of musical instruments in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
William Frank “Bill” Bublitz (4 May 1900 - 3 July 1962, Elkhorn, Wisconsin) founded the company after making violins as a young skilled wood carver and teaching students to play the violins in nearby Burlington, Wisconsin. A few of his violins still exists today. After his business burned down in 1917, Bill began work in the case department of the Frank Holton Company. Later he managed the Elkhorn Case Company until he began his own case manufacturing business in 1938. Two men and three women were employed in Bill's factory when he closed the business to enter military service during World War II. After his discharge from the Army in 1945, Bill resumed his manufacturing business. In 1947, Bill's brother, Robert Earnest “Bob” Bublitz (24 November 1916 - 30 November 1973) who prior to the war, managed the plating department at the Frank Holton Company, joined Bill.
The Bublitz Case Company was initially located in the rear of a garage behind Bill’s mother, Tina’s home at 209 West Page Street. As the business grew, the factory was expanded three time over adjacent lots behind Bill's and his brother Bob's homes. The business usually employed between fifteen to twenty-five employees. The cases were sold all over the United States and in Europe.
The primary customers were musical instrument manufacturers like Leblanc (musical instrument manufacturer)
, W.T. Armstrong Company, Getzen
, Allied, Gemeinhardt
and Buffet. Additionally, the cases were sold to large wholesalers and jobbers as well as a TV test instrument manufacturer.
Bill was the general manager and in-charge of the wood shop, lining and packing department. Bob managed the covering and hardware installation departments. Both Bill and Bob worked along side their employees in every phase of the work. Bill made most of the specialized machinery and molds for manufacturing the cases. He also designed and constructed the forms from which trombone, French-horn, baritone, trumpet and cornet cases were molded from layers of basswood veneer. Basswood was used for the side frames and the tops and bottoms were made from either luan mahogany, birch or molded basswood. The cases were usually covered with a black leatherette and the insides were lined with a blue or red plush. The collegiate models of clarinets, trumpets, cornets and saxophones cases were sewn with a leather binding and metal corner protectors were riveted in place for durability. French-horn, trombone, tube and baritone cases had a steel banding installed on the top to make the case rugged and prevent sheet music from falling out of the case. Quality craftsmanship was always a concern with Bill &/or Bob who personally inspecting every case that left the factory.
Both Bill and Bob were workaholic, working from seven in the morning till nine at night four days a week with a half hour off at noon and at supper time. On Friday they stopped worked at five so they could enjoyed fish fry at local restaurant with their family. The two managers always had a concern for the welfare of their employees and because of that concern, their factory was one of the first factories in Southeastern Wisconsin to be completely air conditioned. Because of the air conditioning, employees looked forward to coming to work for relief from the hot, humid Midwest summers. Also during the summer, the employees looked forward to the annual summer barbecue and picnic behind Bob’s house. Bob’s wife, Olive prepared all the delicious food for the event. Between Christmas and New Years there was also an end of the year luncheon and gift exchange held in the factory. The walls inside the factory were painted white with an abundance of Bill’s favorite red trim. In their spare time Bill and Bob both enjoyed gardening, family activities, card games, fishing trips to Northern Wisconsin as well as spending time at their nearby Lauderdale Lake Cottages with their eight brother and sister who all lived in the area.
Following Bill’s death in 1962, Robert Bublitz became the general manager and was joined by another brother, Gustave Julius William “Gus” Bublitz (22 June 1906 - 5 July 1976) who worked in Holton’s trombone department. Bob and Gus purchased the shares in the company inherited by Mrs. William Bublitz. In the incorporation, Gus became the president, Robert Joseph Bublitz, the vice president and Robert Ernest Bublitz the General Manager, Secretary & Treasurer.
During the Summer of 1966, due to working capital & inventory shortages brought on by the purchase of Mrs. Bublitz interest, the business was sold to one of its primary historical long term customers, LeBlanc. Two year later the business was moved to the second floor of the Holton Company for better work flow. Bob continued as the general manager of the company until he resigned in 1972. Later the name of the business unit was changed to the Leblanc's Case Division. In 2005 the manufacturing equipment was crated and shipped to China. During the Fall 2008 the Holton factory was closed and the manufacturing equipment was moved to Eastlake, Ohio, home town of The H. N. White Company, manufacturers of the King line of musical instruments. Today all of these companies including C.G. Conn and Selmer have been merged into one company owned by the by Steinway Musical Instrument Company.
It is interesting that Elkhart, Indiana once the capital for musical instrument manufacturing, has gone from over sixy companies in the 1960s to just three companies in 2010. The musical instrument industry has changed drastically because of consolidation, outsourcing of manufacturing offshore to take advantage of lower labor cost, inexpensive imports and reduced school budgets for music.
History
The Bublitz Case Company manufactured over a hundred models of cases for clarinets, oboes, bassoons, flutes, piccolos, trumpets, cornets, saxophones, trombones, French horns, baritones, tubas and a case for television test instrumentation. In 1948 the company produced eighteen thousand cases. During the nineteen fifties and sixties Bublitz manufactured approximately twenty-five thousand cases annually.William Frank “Bill” Bublitz (4 May 1900 - 3 July 1962, Elkhorn, Wisconsin) founded the company after making violins as a young skilled wood carver and teaching students to play the violins in nearby Burlington, Wisconsin. A few of his violins still exists today. After his business burned down in 1917, Bill began work in the case department of the Frank Holton Company. Later he managed the Elkhorn Case Company until he began his own case manufacturing business in 1938. Two men and three women were employed in Bill's factory when he closed the business to enter military service during World War II. After his discharge from the Army in 1945, Bill resumed his manufacturing business. In 1947, Bill's brother, Robert Earnest “Bob” Bublitz (24 November 1916 - 30 November 1973) who prior to the war, managed the plating department at the Frank Holton Company, joined Bill.
The Bublitz Case Company was initially located in the rear of a garage behind Bill’s mother, Tina’s home at 209 West Page Street. As the business grew, the factory was expanded three time over adjacent lots behind Bill's and his brother Bob's homes. The business usually employed between fifteen to twenty-five employees. The cases were sold all over the United States and in Europe.
The primary customers were musical instrument manufacturers like Leblanc (musical instrument manufacturer)
Leblanc (musical instrument manufacturer)
Leblanc, Inc. is a musical instrument manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin.The company was purchased on 1 August 2004 by Steinway Musical Instrument Company, which now operates Leblanc as a division of its Conn-Selmer subsidiary.Leblanc inc...
, W.T. Armstrong Company, Getzen
Getzen
The Getzen Company is a family owned manufacturer and wholesaler of brass instruments. The present product portfolio consists of Trumpets, Cornets, Flugelhorns, Trombones and a Baritone Horn. Four Generations of the Getzen family have participated in the company.-Founding:In 1939, Anthony James ...
, Allied, Gemeinhardt
Gemeinhardt
Gemeinhardt Co. is the music industry's largest manufacturer of flutes and piccolos. These musical instruments are developed by this company for all levels of musicians, beginners to professionals.History of the Gemeinhardt Company...
and Buffet. Additionally, the cases were sold to large wholesalers and jobbers as well as a TV test instrument manufacturer.
Bill was the general manager and in-charge of the wood shop, lining and packing department. Bob managed the covering and hardware installation departments. Both Bill and Bob worked along side their employees in every phase of the work. Bill made most of the specialized machinery and molds for manufacturing the cases. He also designed and constructed the forms from which trombone, French-horn, baritone, trumpet and cornet cases were molded from layers of basswood veneer. Basswood was used for the side frames and the tops and bottoms were made from either luan mahogany, birch or molded basswood. The cases were usually covered with a black leatherette and the insides were lined with a blue or red plush. The collegiate models of clarinets, trumpets, cornets and saxophones cases were sewn with a leather binding and metal corner protectors were riveted in place for durability. French-horn, trombone, tube and baritone cases had a steel banding installed on the top to make the case rugged and prevent sheet music from falling out of the case. Quality craftsmanship was always a concern with Bill &/or Bob who personally inspecting every case that left the factory.
Both Bill and Bob were workaholic, working from seven in the morning till nine at night four days a week with a half hour off at noon and at supper time. On Friday they stopped worked at five so they could enjoyed fish fry at local restaurant with their family. The two managers always had a concern for the welfare of their employees and because of that concern, their factory was one of the first factories in Southeastern Wisconsin to be completely air conditioned. Because of the air conditioning, employees looked forward to coming to work for relief from the hot, humid Midwest summers. Also during the summer, the employees looked forward to the annual summer barbecue and picnic behind Bob’s house. Bob’s wife, Olive prepared all the delicious food for the event. Between Christmas and New Years there was also an end of the year luncheon and gift exchange held in the factory. The walls inside the factory were painted white with an abundance of Bill’s favorite red trim. In their spare time Bill and Bob both enjoyed gardening, family activities, card games, fishing trips to Northern Wisconsin as well as spending time at their nearby Lauderdale Lake Cottages with their eight brother and sister who all lived in the area.
Following Bill’s death in 1962, Robert Bublitz became the general manager and was joined by another brother, Gustave Julius William “Gus” Bublitz (22 June 1906 - 5 July 1976) who worked in Holton’s trombone department. Bob and Gus purchased the shares in the company inherited by Mrs. William Bublitz. In the incorporation, Gus became the president, Robert Joseph Bublitz, the vice president and Robert Ernest Bublitz the General Manager, Secretary & Treasurer.
During the Summer of 1966, due to working capital & inventory shortages brought on by the purchase of Mrs. Bublitz interest, the business was sold to one of its primary historical long term customers, LeBlanc. Two year later the business was moved to the second floor of the Holton Company for better work flow. Bob continued as the general manager of the company until he resigned in 1972. Later the name of the business unit was changed to the Leblanc's Case Division. In 2005 the manufacturing equipment was crated and shipped to China. During the Fall 2008 the Holton factory was closed and the manufacturing equipment was moved to Eastlake, Ohio, home town of The H. N. White Company, manufacturers of the King line of musical instruments. Today all of these companies including C.G. Conn and Selmer have been merged into one company owned by the by Steinway Musical Instrument Company.
It is interesting that Elkhart, Indiana once the capital for musical instrument manufacturing, has gone from over sixy companies in the 1960s to just three companies in 2010. The musical instrument industry has changed drastically because of consolidation, outsourcing of manufacturing offshore to take advantage of lower labor cost, inexpensive imports and reduced school budgets for music.
External links
National Music Museum, The University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street, Vermillion, SD 57069- http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/