Letters from Justin Holland and J. M. Holland to C. F. Martin, 1868-1897

The letters below are transcribed from both handwritten and typewritten letters sent from Justin Holland and his son J. M. Holland to C. F. Martin over the years 1868 to 1896. Twelve letters written by Justin Holland are from 1868 to 1884 and thirty-five from his son are from 1887 to 1897. The letters are located in the C. F. Martin & Co. Archives. Many thanks to Jason Ahner, Archives & Museum Manager, for permission to publish the transcriptions.

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S. Brainard’s Sons

In the March 1876 issue of Brainard’s Musical World, the editors reprinted articles about their new business location at 341 and 343 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. The articles came from the Cleveland Daily Herald, the Cleveland Daily Leader, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. An engraving of the front of the building appeared in the March 1876 issue, an engraving of the retail department appeared in May 1876, and an engraving of the Piano Parlors appeared in June 1876. In January 1879 a consolidated article was published in Brainard’s Musical World as appears below.

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Justin Minor Holland “The Guitar” in Brainard’s Musical World 1887-1888

A few years ago I found 14 pages of lined paper with articles pasted on them in a folder titled “Clippings Justin Holland 1887” in the Bickford Collection at California State University Northridge. The articles were titled “The Guitar” and included interesting topics on Sor, Carulli, Carcassi, Molino and answers to reader letters. A typescript also in this folder contains transcriptions of some of these articles and articles from other guitar journals. Based on these two items I was able to track down these articles to Brainard’s Musical World January – December 1888.

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