The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, known as Wurlitzer, was an American firm that produced musical instruments, barrel organs, and jukeboxes from 1853 to 1985. Founded by Franz Rudolph Wurlitzer, who emigrated from Germany in 1853, the company initially focused on retail and later began manufacturing musical instruments in 1861. In 1872, Rudolph's brother Anton joined the business, and by 1890 it became the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company. The firm grew rapidly, moving to a six-story building in 1906 after a fire destroyed the original premises. A significant acquisition in 1910 of the Hope-Jones Organ Company led Wurlitzer to become a leading producer of theater organs. Upon Rudolph Wurlitzer’s death in 1914, his sons took over, continuing the company’s growth.

In 1933, Farny Wurlitzer, Rudolph's son, acquired a patented jukebox mechanism, leading to the successful debut of the Debutante jukebox. Paul M. Fuller, the chief designer from 1935 to 1947, crafted iconic models in a colorful, chrome-laden Art Deco style, making Wurlitzer the market leader by 1936. The Wurlitzer 1015 bubbler, introduced in 1946, became the most famous jukebox with 56,242 units sold. The company also ventured into electric pianos in 1955 and employed 2,000 people by 1956. However, after producing 750,000 jukeboxes, Wurlitzer ceased their production in 1974. In 1985, the company was acquired by Baldwin Piano Company, which struggled and was later bought by Gibson in 2001. The German Wurlitzer GmbH, holding the jukebox rights, faced multiple insolvencies and was liquidated in 2016. Since December 2020, the Wurlitzer brand is back with the Wurlitzer family, which has resumed jukebox production from 2024.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_Wurlitzer_Company