There are really four periods in the history of Ludwig & Ludwig before they disappear in 1950.

The first period comprises 20 years. From 1910 to 1930, Ludwig & Ludwig was a dominant force in drum and percussion manufacturing from their various Chicago locations. Originally owned by brothers William and Theobald Ludwig, the company suffered the loss of 29 year old Theo in 1918 due to the Great Influenza Epidemic. Even with this setback. the company prospered and grew.

In 1930, the company was sold to band instrument giant C.G. Conn Ltd. for $1,000,000 in stock. This transition ended the first period and was caused by the effects of the Depression and the onset of Talkies. Lots of drummers became unemployed when sound replaced silent pictures and local accompaniment went unemployed.

Period two starts as Conn moves the factory to Elkhart, Indiana and leaves the sales office in Chicago. That action may have cost Ludwig & Ludwig its greatest potential star. Gene Krupa's dad called L & L's Chicago office to get his son a set, but the sales office didn't have that authority in the mid 30's and Papa Krupa connected with Slingerland- and that's another story.

During the second part of the history of Ludwig & Ludwig, we find that the patriarch, William F. Ludwig, Sr., left to escape the "confines of Conn". He formed his second company on April 1, 1937 and originally called it the William F. Ludwig Drum Company. Conn threatened to sue and the name was changed to his initials- WFL.

The most famous Black Beauty made by Ludwig & Ludwig (1930's).

In 1950, the Ludwig & Ludwig story enters three and ends- sort of. Conn merged its two competing drum lines, Leedy and L & L, into Leedy & Ludwig and ran the new company for another four years.

In 1955, the final period occurs in the life of L & L when the Ludwig family bought back the name, dies and patents for $90,000, and merged them into WFL. This action created the first period of the modern Ludwig Drum Company. That's another story for another day.

More information on Ludwig & Ludwig, Leedy & Ludwig, Ludwig & WFL can be found in my book, The Great American Drums !