The history

Leipzig firm ‘Musikwerke Phoenix GmbH Schmidt & Co.’ specialized on production of the smallest organettes in the end of the 19th century. The company was founded in 1886, but began to operate at full capacity only in 1889. Up until then it had been involved in a three-year legal dispute with Paul Ehrlich, the inventor and the sole producer of organettes at that time. In 1889, the court resolved the dispute in favor of Phoenix, this allowed the firm to manufacture and sell organettes under its own brand. Phoenix differentiated itself by the use of non-oxidative zinc plates. The company specialized in organettes up until 1916 and was merged in 1918.