Edgar C. Smith
b. October 24, 1860 · American (German parentage)
Biography
Edgar C. Smith, of German parentage, was born on October 24, 1860, on a Wisconsin farm. Taught the melodeon by his mother and later piano, he became skilled enough to be invited to demonstrate pianos at a county fair for a dealer, which led to a job as general utility boy at seven dollars a week. In Chicago he applied for work at the Kimball Piano Store and came under the tutelage of E. S. Conway, advancing from floor salesman to manager of the store's retail department, including several branch stores. A thorough musician, Smith won endorsements for the Kimball piano from leading virtuosos who used it on the concert platform. He was described as amiable, polished, and magnetic, ranking among the most popular and respected men in the piano trade.
Highlights
- Rose from demonstrating pianos at a county fair to managing the Kimball Piano Store's retail department
- Won concert-platform endorsements of the Kimball piano from leading virtuosos
Source
Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. II (1913), p. 119.
Public domain.