An instrument importer and dealer, Charles Bruno immigrated from Germany to Macon, Georgia in 1832. In 1834, Bruno moved to New York where he probably worked as a clerk or salesman for several years before being listed as a book seller in 1837. In 1838 Bruno formed a partnership with Christian F. Martin. His book shop on Fulton Street most likely served as a retail outlet for Martin's guitars. When Bruno & Martin dissolved their partnership in 1839, Bruno left New York for several years.

On his return to New York Bruno established the partnership Bruno & Cargill from 1851 to 1853, and then Bruno, Weissenborn and Company with Herman W. Weissenborn (this was not  the designer of the Weissenborn lap steel guitar - that was Hermann C. Weissenborn) 1854 to 1857.

Orion was a stringed instrument brand distributed by Vega Music International, Brea, California and by Galaxy Trading Corporation of Sante Fe Springs, California. There was a full range of Orion electric, acoustic and bass guitars as well as folk intruments. These instruments were imported into the USA, most likely from Japan or Korea.

Source: Orion catalog 1982

The Jacobacci brand was founded in the Parisien district of Menilmontant during 1920s by Vincent Jacobacci. Jacobacci was an Italian immigrant from Catania, who began by making banjos and  guitars. Vincent's son Roger Jacobacci, decided in the early fifties to start making  electric guitars, initially by adding pickups to the existing Jacobacci acoustic guitars.

Jacobacci built guitars for the Major Conn Paris store following an agreement in 1956, and these guitars have the brand name Major. Major models included the Royal, the Soloist and the Super Deluxe. Other models included the semi-hollow bodied Texas and the solid bodied Ohio. Some famous French rock and roll bands (like Johnny Hallyday, the Pirates and the Vatours) played the Texas and Ohio models, increasing the desirability of Jacobacci guitars with the French public.

The Harptone Manufacturing Corporation was founded in 1893 in the USA, as a maker of musical instrument cases and accessories. In 1924, Harptone began the production and distribution of guitars, banjos, mandolins and tiples and continued until 1942. During the war years though, all musical instrument making was discontinued and production diverted to the war effort.

In 1966 after exstensive market research Harptone decided to resume guitar manufacturing. They aimed to produce professional grade American made guitars at attractive prices. They  produced Acoustic and semi hollow bodied guitars and bases until 1975 under Luthier Sam Koontz.