Here's an interesting tidbit about Lyon & Healy, the famous
Chicago-based retailer.  They had (or have) a house brand called
"Empress."

This Empress brand was used on many items they sold, including the
exceptional sounding 18" diameter disc playing Mira console musical
box, manufactured by Mermod Freres of Ste Croix, Switzerland.

Empress is likened to "Kenmore," the brand name that is used by Sears.

Bill Wineburgh
http://members.aol.com/WWineburgh/musicbox.html

 [ Editor's note:
 [
 [ Why do we correctly say that Kenmore is a "house brand", but
 [ Celica is a "model"?  Is the distinction because we know that
 [ Toyota makes the Celica, whereas we know that the Lyon & Healy
 [ Empress products were made for L&H by another firm?
 [
 [ I'd like to hear more examples of familiar house brands.  Sears
 [ Roebuck Co. sold "Supertone" piano rolls, made under contract by
 [ Columbia/Capitol and Imperial and U.S. Music (?).  Sears also sold
 [ "Silvertone" musical instruments made under contract by familiar
 [ band instrument makers.
 [
 [ -- Robbie