Description
The company was established in Germany in 1881 by two brothers. Gustav L. (Louis) and Gustav F. (Frederick) Penzel. In 1882 they immigrated to the United States of America and opened shop in New York. In 1898 their relative E.G. Mueller began to get involved in the compnay. This involvement eventually led to a partnership. By 1920, the G. Penzel company ceased operations and they opened a new company called the Penzel-Mueller Company; known as G.L. Penzel & Mueller in the early days. This company then operated through the late 1950s. Over the years they produced many models of clarinets. These models included the Standard, the Artist, the Super Brillante, the Soloist, the Pacemaker, the American Professional, the Dyna-Tone, the Bel Canto, and the Empire. Woody Herman played the Artist model.
