Balmer & Weber Music House Co. Building

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Designed by H. William Kirchner in 1905, what later became the home to Ludwig Aeolian Building, this narrow building reminds us that not all the great treasures of downtown are massive office buildings.

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Inspired by the Renaissance and the architecture of Michelangelo, it is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture in red terracotta.

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Interestingly, the columns are made out of brick. Below, the close proximity of the neighboring building affects the designs of the pediments, which truncate before reaching the property line.

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6 Comments Add yours

  1. S. Fowler says:

    I was happy to see that NEED/WANT moved into this building. i was a little late on the news but nonetheless awesome! (http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2016/11/16/st-louis-startup-buys-downtown-buildings-eyes.html)

  2. Marilyn Kay says:

    What is NEED/WANT? Am also very happy the building has been repurposed after its years as a Bridal Shop. Was my families music business-Balmer- of Balmer-Weber Music House being my great great grandfather and when it was a Bridal Shop the proprietors let my parents come in and research the histoy of the building and tour the shop and mezzanine. It wa still very beautiful with chandeliers, carvings, wall length mirrors and marble floors , molded ceilings and gorgeous staircase. Thank you for your info. Love St Louis architectural history. Wish they made all of music row a historic landmark.

    1. Chris Naffziger says:

      Thanks for stopping by, Marilyn!

    2. Mary Wilcox says:

      Are there any photographs of the staircase and performing space on the second floor? I was dazzled by it when I played a recital there as a student in 1956.

  3. James Grebe says:

    Message for Marilyn Kay.
    I am a former employee of Aeolian C of Mo.
    Could you please contact me
    James Grebe james@grebepiano.com or 314 6084137

  4. Tom Castrop says:

    I have a guitar with a Balmer & Weber strip label that was placed over a circular label / Bay State Music. The guitar was owned by my grandfather . ( Captain Henry Castrop 1863- 1937) who often travelled to St. louis from Westphalia Mo. on one of the three packets he owned . He plied the waters of the Osage river carrying freight from Osage City to towns south & west along the Osage from the early 1880 s until 1917 . He was also the publisher of the Volksblatt German language newspaper in Westphalia Mo. from the 1890s until 1917 .

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