Pipe Organ Database

From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders,, rev. ed., by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1997). -

Son of Christian Durner; brother of J. Christian Durner, father of Charles E. Durner; he apprenticed with his father, Christian, at age 14 in Germany. He emigrated to United States in January, 1859, landing in New York; he established his firm in Zion Hill (Quakertown area), Pennsylvania, in 1861; he relocated the firm to Quakertown, Pennsylvania in 1861; he was a maker of reed and pipe organs; he was succeeded by his son, Charles E. Durner.

Sources:

• Raymond J. Brunner, That Ingenious Business--: Pennsylvania German Organbuilders (Birdsboro, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania German Society 1990), 195.
• The Diapason: January 1915.
• Robert F. Gellerman, Gellerman-s International Reed Organ Atlas (Vestal, NY: The Vestal Press, 1985) , 38.
• Martin Kares, The German Element in American Organbuilding, 1700-1900 (dissertation, Marburg 1990).
• Piano and Organ Purchaser-s Guide, Purchaser-s Guide to the Music Industries, (New York: Music Trades )
• Elizabeth Towne Schmitt.
• The Tracker: 8:4 (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1965), 11.
• The Tracker: 20:2 (1975), 8.
• The Tracker: 32:1 (1987), 27.
• The Tracker: 37:3 (1993), 20.