. ▁Bro der ick , ▁E . ▁R . ▁Jacob son ▁and ▁W . ▁G . ▁Martin , ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁Stra ube ▁P iano ▁Co . ▁The ▁purpose ▁was ▁to ▁market ▁a ▁nick el - in - the - sl ot ▁piano ▁player ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁as ▁the ▁Auto elect ra . ▁The ▁name - change ▁to ▁Hamm ond ▁P iano ▁Co . ▁was ▁file d ▁in ▁Indiana ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 5 . ▁ ▁Gil more ▁– ▁Gil more ▁pian os ▁began ▁production ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁label ▁for ▁a ▁ret ail ▁customer ▁in ▁Philadelphia , ▁the ▁customer ▁being ▁Gust ave ▁Herz berg ▁( 1 8 3 5 – 1 9 2 4 ), ▁father ▁of ▁Edward ▁Herz berg ▁( 1 8 7 0 – 1 9 3 1 ), ▁who ▁ran ▁the ▁piano ▁department ▁at ▁the ▁Sn ellen burg ▁Store . ▁Edward ▁left ▁Stra ube ▁as ▁vice ▁president ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁to ▁join ▁his ▁father . ▁The ▁Gil more ▁line ▁ran ▁until ▁about ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁Ear liest ▁reference ▁to ▁a ▁Gil more ▁P iano ▁is ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁ ▁Wood ward ▁– ▁manufact ured ▁after ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁▁ ▁Stra ube ▁models ▁ ▁Stra ube ▁models ▁and ▁prices ▁( f . o . b .) ▁Hamm ond ▁▁ ▁Gr ands ▁ ▁The ▁Conserv atory ▁– ▁( 1 9 2 6 ▁– ▁$ 9 5 0 ; ▁) ▁ ▁The ▁Art ist