Julius (Jules) Heinrich Zimmermann Leipzig, Riga, St. Petersburg, Moscow, London. There is some evidence to suggest that Zimmermann was originally a wholesale dealer in musical instruments who, rather like other companies before and after him, bought into industries which could further his aims. If one looks at the five centres in which he established companies, we find the first to have been in 1875, at Morskaja 34, St. Petersburg; then 1882, at Schmiedebrücke, Haus Sacharin, Moscow; then 1886, at Querstrasse 26 and 28 (with factory at Sedanstrasse 17), Leipzig; then 1887, at Scheunenstrasse 15, Riga; and finally ten years later, in 1897, at 9 Great Newport Street, Charing Cross Road, London. He had branches in many other smaller places, including a number in Russia and, in 1903, he opened a saleroom at 4 Wells Street, off Oxford Street, in London. This was closed in 1905. Zimmermann is best remembered for his takeover of the business of Malke & Oberländer, and the production of the Fortuna disc-playing musical box. Zimmermann also owned the Fiedler piano manufactory, established in Leipzig in 1871 by Gustav Fiedler.
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