[ Ref. David Tymoshchuk in 220519 MMDigest ]

Superior Foundry was an independent business. Music Trade Review
reported that it ceased manufacture of piano plates on 1 Feb 1926,
and turned over its patters to Wickham. It was lured by the car
industry, a far better prospect.

The foundry process was very much a specialism, and in the UK many
makers, Aeolian included, used the Mildmay Foundry in Burnham on
Crouch, whose record book is now in the Musical Museum. Broadwood
used Mildmay for most pianos, but the steel 'barless' frames came
from Beardmore according to the company archives.

I think it was normal for huge firms to buy in special parts.
We've touched on this in MMD; for instance, that Ampico bought its
wind motors from a third party. Ampico and Duo-Art pumps appear to
have used the same supplier of castings. Aeolian and American Piano
were quite modern operations with consolidated businesses but with
outsourced suppliers.

Julian Dyer

 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/22/05/26/220526_020942_Superior_Foundry_1926.jpg