Willis, Isaac & Co.

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Dates Active in Dublin: 

c. 1816–1836

Address(es): 

7 Westmoreland Street, c. 1816–20
Royal Harmonic Saloon, Musical Circulation Library, 7 Westmoreland Street, 1820–36
Royal Musical Repository, 55 St James's Street and 7 Westmoreland Street, c. 1830
4 Westmoreland Street, 1836
[Also: London]

Details: 

Succeeded the business of Goulding, Willis & Co. (c. 1814–17) at 7 Westmoreland Street but Goulding's music publications continued to be advertised as 'to be had at 7 Westmoreland St., Dublin' until c. 1826 (Boydell, 'Flageolet').

Advertised in the Faulker's Journal that the Musical Circulation Library contained 'upwards of twenty thousand musical publications' in 1820 (cited in Kerry).

Lawrence credits I. Willis & Co. for the sale of Spanish guitars in Ireland 'as early as 1824'.

Mark: 'Isaac Willis & Co., London' and 'Willis & Co.'

Succeeded in business by Robinson, Bussell & Robinson.

[Dates and addresses differ according to sources: the Dublin Directories give 7 Westmoreland Street from 1817 to 1819 and the Royal Harmonic Saloon, Musical Circulation Library from 1820 to 1836. Hogan gives 7 Westmoreland Street from c. 1816 to 1836. Waterhouse states that Willis fl from 1816 to 1836 at the Royal Harmonic Saloon, 6 Westmoreland Street. Boydell ('Flageolet') gives 7 Westmoreland Street from 1816/17 to 1837. Boydell (Card Index) gives 4 Westmoreland Street in 1836. Lawrence (citing the May publication) gives I. Willis & Co. at the Royal Musical Repository, 55 St James's Str. and 7 Westmoreland Street, Dublin c.1830. Note: Marcus Moses is listed in the Dublin Directories at the 4 Westmoreland Street address from 1831 to 1860. McHale states, in reference to Willis' pirated edition of Bunting's The Ancient Music of Ireland, that it was published c. 1800 but there is no evidence that Willis was in business either on his own or with Goulding at this date.]

Select Product/Work List: 

Produced

  • Flute: Washington. Inventory number 697 (Waterhouse)
  • Published

  • Bunting, Edward, The Ancient Music of Ireland, c. 1800? [pirated edn] (McHale)
  • May, George T., Instructions for the Spanish Guitar, c. 1830 (Lawrence)
  • Stevenson, John, The Louvre Quadrilles (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • 'A Small Pocket Edition of Quadrilles for the violin flute or flageolet. Bk. the First. Bk. The Second' (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • 'Egan’s Collection of Irish Melodies for one or two flutes or violins, to which is added instructions for the single and double flageolet' (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • 'Egan’s Divertimento to ‘Life let us cherish’ & ‘O Dolce’ with an accompaniment for the single or double flageolet' (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • The Single and Double Flageolet Preceptor, to which is added a collection of airs, principally consisting of Irish melodies, with the Dublin cries composed, selected and arranged for the double flageolet or two single flageolets, likewise for two German flutes or two violins, dedicated to Mr Banbridge, the inventor of the double and single patent flageolet, by F. Egan of Dublin (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • Sold

  • 'A great variety of pat[ent] flageolets, flutes, etc. etc.' (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • Goulding & Co.'s Collection, 1821/2 [includes the dance King George's Welcome to Ireland] (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • 'Spanish Guitars (with patent heads), recommended for their facility of tuning, warranetd to keep constantly in tune', 23 October 1824 (Lawrence, citing Saunder's Newsletter)
  • Goulding & Co.'s Collection, 1826 [includes an arrangement of the Hunter's Chorus from Weber's Der Freischutz] (Boydell, 'Flageolet')
  • Last Update: 17-05-2018