Hans Julius Bach (Vincent’s brother) helped with Vincent’s early business, and also owned and operated music stores for more than 30 years in New York City, NY at the same time Vincent was making instruments through the 1930-1950’s.
Hans Schrottenbach immigrated to the United States in 1911, arriving in Boston on the SS Franconia. Below are the Declaration of Intention (1931) form, and Petition for Naturalization (1936) form. His brother Vincent was a witness and also signed his name. He was living in Mt. Vernon at this time.
Like Vincent Bach, Hans Schrottenbach (Bach) also registered for service during World War I. Also interesting is that in 1917, Hans stated he was working as a musician and as a clerk at Cafe Savern on 48 Broadway and living at 153 E. 89th Street in New York City.
Early in Vincent and Hans Bach’s musical instrument journey, Hans Bach was a distributor of F.E. Olds Trombones. Note in this advertisement, he listed the Vincent Bach Corp. factory on 237 East 41st Street.
By 1930, Hans opened his first music store location in new York City.
The first was located on 800 8th Avenue in New York City (1927), and a later location was located at 128 West 48th Street, New York City, NY, and sold a variety of instruments to the many performers in the 47th Street district.
Hans J Bach of New York City was granted a wind instrument hand protector patent. The patent is linked below. This was the only known patent by Hans J. Bach.
- Patent number: 1,481,855
- Filed: December 28, 1922
- Issued: January 29, 1924
Hans Bach was a distributor of musical instruments and also manufactured a line of ‘stencil’ instruments with his brother Vincent Bach and other instrument companies, such as Martin Band Instruments, H.N. White/King, etc.
Below are examples of stencil musical instruments, such as saxophones, trumpets, and trombones that we are aware of.
Hans Bach Trumpet
serial # C-25672 (sold on eBay, Oct. 10, 2013)
” These trumpets were made by the Cleveland instrument company, the same as their 1920s pro model. As the serial number starts with a C, this was produced when HN White (now King) first bought the company and designated their serial numbers made there with a “C.”
source: Jonathan Cardon from BachLoyalist FB page.
Hans Bach Trumpet
estimated 1930s
This Hans Bach trumpet was most likely an imported/stenciled European trumpet model, which Hans Bach carried in his music store in the 1930s. This instrument is unique in style and shape.
Contact us via our website for more information about the manufacturer of this trumpet.
source: from the collection of Brian Becker
Hans Bach Trombone
Case from inside the trombone case.
Hans Bach Alto Saxophone
Hans Bach Soprano Saxophone
(circa 1951) mfg. by Martin
WANTED:
- Images of Hans Bach instruments
- Images of any reference to Hand J. Bach music stores
From the Selmer website in 2003, the story of Hans Vincent Bach, son of Hans Julius Bach, visit to the Elkhart factory. This brief article shared more of the history of Vincent & Hans Bach and their families. Hans named his son with “Vincent” as his middle name. Hans and his wife also named their daughter with “Esther” as her middle name, after Vincent’s wife.
Hans Vincent Bach, son of Hans J. Bach
” Following in his big brother Vincent’s footsteps, Hans Julius Bach, immigrated to the United States in 1919. Hans Julius had three children. The oldest, Hans Vincent Bach, was named for both his father and uncle. He attended Northeastern University as a coop student in Mechanical Engineering. In 1942, he worked at his Uncle Vincent’s factory in the Bronx as part of Northeastern’s work/study program.
About that time, Vincent Bach completed the design work on some French horns. (These instruments, which were only prototyped, were photographed for a 1976 Selmer Bandwagon tribute to Vincent Bach shortly after his death.) One of Hans Vincent’s jobs at his uncle’s factory was to create engineering drawings of the newly designed French horns. These drawings were recently discovered among artifacts at the Bach production plant, and Tedd Waggoner, Vincent Bach Brass Products Manager for Conn-Selmer, Inc., had copies of them made for Hans to commemorate his work. The drawings were entrusted to Roy Hempley to present during a visit with Hans and his wife Katie.
The picture above shows Hans Vincent and Katie with the copies of those drawings as well as the boilerplate from one of them showing both Vincent and Hans Vincent’s names.
from the 2006 Obituary of Hans Vincent Bach
Hans V. “Hank” Bach
Died: Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Age: 85Hans V. “Hank” Bach of Peconic Landing, Greenport died on August 15.
Mr. Bach was born in Astoria, Long Island on November 5, 1921 to Hans and Barbara Bach. After the completion of high school, he attended Northeastern University and Tuft’s University, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
In 1944, he married Katherine “Katie” Gleeson in Our Lady of Solace Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx. They Lived in Floral Park and then in Garden City before moving to Shelter Island, where they resided for 21 years.
Mr. Bach served in the US Navy during World War II and was a lieutenant at the time of his discharge. During his lifetime, Mr. Bach was employed by the Joyce 7-UP Bottling Company and retired after 30 years of service as Vice President of Sales. In addition to his loving wife he is survived by his daughters, Dr. Heidi Bach, Katherine “Katie” Bach and Dr. Maryanne C. Bach; and sons Dr. Richard “Dick” Bach and John V. Bach, Esq.; one brother; one sister; 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held last Thursday at the Defriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold.
source:varius Bach loyalist clippings shared.
