Antoine Limonaire And His Sons Eugène And Camille

Place: Paris

Biography:

Limonaire Frères were an amusement ride, street organ and fairground organ builder, based in Paris, France, during the 19th and early 20th century. The company was started by Antoine Limonaire in 1839 as a piano and organ builder, but after three years he separated from his brother Joseph who concentrated on the piano business while Antoine continued to expand into the organ building. By 1852, the company was based in the rue Neuve des Petits Champs and by the 1870s had added a workshop in the rue St. Sabin, building portable barrel and orchestral organs. After Antoine's death in 1886, his two sons Eugène and Camille established a new factory in the Avenue Daumesnil, expanding at a fast pace and attending many international expositions including those at London (1888), Chicago (1893) , Amsterdam (1895) and St Louis (1904). The company filed patents for twelve inventions and one brand name, the Orchestrophone. In 1894, the piano range of instruments was withdrawn from production.