Bublitz Case Company

The Bublitz Case Company was a manufacturer of musical instrument cases in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Assets of the Bublitz Case Company were bought by G. Leblanc Corporation, a manufacturer of musical instruments in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Bublitz Case Company manufactured over a hundred models of cases for clarinets, oboes, bassoons, flutes, piccolos, trumpets, cornets, saxophones, trombones, French horns, baritones, tubas and a case for television test instrumentation. In 1948 the company produced eighteen thousand cases. During the nineteen fifties and sixties Bublitz manufactured over twenty-five thousand cases annually.

William Frank "Bill" Bublitz (4 May 1900 - 3 July 1962), Elkhorn, Wisconsin, son of a nearby farmer began making violins in 1912 when he was only twelve years old. July 9, 1921 the violin maker filed for a patent on his newly invented “Cramping Form for Violin Bouts" and received a patent on May 9, 1922. "A general line of musical instruments was announced by William F. Bublitz, who opened this week (February 17, 1923) in Elkhorn, Wis." “The Wisconsin inventor initially specialized in making violins especially adapted for juveniles. These violins were about three-quarters the regular size which were particularly suited for a boy or girl who found it difficult to handle adult violins. Mr. Bublitz inherited his love for music from his grandfather, Carl Bublitz. The latter was a violinist in Leipzig, Germany. The younger Bublitz was skilled as a violinist, but modestly said that his knowledge was acquired to enable him to better perfect the instruments that he makes." Although the business was originally located in Elkhorn, later it moved to Burlington until a fire destroyed the business.

William Frank “Bill” Bublitz then founded the case company after making violins as a young skilled wood carver and teaching students to play the violins in nearby Burlington, Wisconsin. A few of his violins still exists today. After his business burned down, Bill began work in the case department of the Frank Holton Company. Later he managed the Elkhorn Case Company until he began his own case manufacturing business. Two men and three women were employed in Bill's factory when he closed the business to enter military service during World War II. After his discharge from the Army in 1945, Bill resumed his manufacturing business. In 1947, Bill's brother, Robert Earnest “Bob” Bublitz (24 November 1916 - 30 November 1973) who prior to the war, managed the plating department at the Frank Holton Company, joined Bill. The Bublitz Case Company was initially located in the rear of a garage behind Bill’s mother, Tina’s home at 209 West Page Street.

As the business grew, the factory was expanded three time over adjacent lots behind Bill's and his brother Bob's homes. The business usually employed between fifteen and twenty-five employees. The cases were sold all over the United States and in Europe. The primary customers were musical instrument manufacturers like Leblanc (musical instrument manufacturer), W.T. Armstrong Company, Getzen, Allied, Gemeinhardt and Buffet. Additionally, the cases were sold to large wholesalers and jobbers as well as a TV test instrument manufacturer.

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