The story of the Larson brothers begins in Sweden in the town of Luddet in the area named Kalmar. While still 18 years old Carl traveled across Sweden to Gothenburg. On April 16, 1886, he boarded a steamship bound for Hull, Great Britain. From there he traveled across the country to Liverpool and then sailed to New York City, destination Chicago. August, his younger brother and later to be career partner, followed the same route a year later and joined Carl. They worked together for Chicago musical instrument builders until 1900 when August, with the help of financial backers, bought Maurer & Co. from the retiring Robert Maurer. The house brand in those early years was of course Maurer but the brothers also built guitar and mandolin orchestra instruments for Wm. C. Stahl and W. J. Dyer who claimed to be the makers. The Larsons added the Prairie State and Euphonon brands in later years. Carl retired in 1940 and the business was dissolved with the death of August in 1944. For a complete history of the firm and the wonderful instruments, buy “The Larsons Creations Guitars and Mandolins”, by Robert Carl Hartman, grandson of Carl Larson. For more on-line insight, see the instrument “Gallery”, “Slideshow” and “Magazine Articles” sections of this site. Correspondence welcome.

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