George Bacon

Biography

George Bacon joined the New York piano firm founded by Robert Stodart in 1836, alongside a partner named Chambers. After later changes of partnership the firm became Bacon & Raven and then Raven & Bacon. George Bacon died in 1856, whereupon his son Francis Bacon entered the firm as partner, continuing the lineage that eventually became the Bacon Piano Company. From Spillane (1890): George Bacon, father of Francis Bacon, became a partner in William Dubois's New York piano firm in 1836, at which point it became known as Dubois, Bacon & Chambers. After Dubois withdrew around 1841 and Mr. Raven, previously apprenticed with William Geib & Company, was admitted, the firm became Bacon & Raven. George Bacon died around 1856, whereupon his son Francis Bacon took his place and the firm was renamed Raven & Bacon. The house had been very prominent in the trade since 1836 and was regarded with much favor in musical circles. George Bacon was a piano manufacturer associated with the firm later known as Raven & Bacon, prominent in the trade from 1853 onward. He was "during his lifetime a very popular manufacturer" and died in 1856, "generally regretted." In 1851, together with Richard Raven, he recorded U.S. 8320 for an improved metal plate for square pianos with an ingenious adjustment of the bridges, a patent noted for its merit and indicative of the makers' ability. He was succeeded in the firm by his son, Francis Bacon. George Bacon was for a period the business partner of the New York piano maker Dubois. After their separation, Bacon retained the bulk of the business and prestige of the firm, while Dubois's own name carried comparatively little weight in the trade thereafter.

Highlights

• Joined the Dubois & Stodart firm in 1836
• Firm renamed Bacon & Raven, then Raven & Bacon
• Died in 1856, succeeded by son Francis Bacon
• Became a partner in the Dubois firm in 1836, forming Dubois, Bacon & Chambers.
• Father of Francis Bacon.
• Firm became Bacon & Raven when Mr. Raven joined; renamed Raven & Bacon in 1856 following Bacon's death.
• Former business partner of Dubois; after their separation retained the bulk of the firm's business and prestige
• "A very popular manufacturer" who died in 1856, "generally regretted."
• With Richard Raven, recorded U.S. Patent No. 8320 (1851) for an improved metal plate for square pianos.
• Father of Francis Bacon, who succeeded him in the firm.

Sources

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911), p. 277.

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 108, 109, 150, 224.

Public domain.