| The well known Avedis Zildjian Company is the | | | | ride, crash, splash and hi-hat. |
| world's largest manufacturer of cymbals and | | | | Jazz drummers including such legends as Buddy |
| gongs. Founded in 1623 in Istanbul, Turkey, it is | | | | Rich, Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson, Cozy Cole, Papa |
| also the oldest family-run business in America | | | | Jo Jones, and Shelly Manne, all used Zildjian |
| (Family Business Magazine), at nearly 400 years | | | | cymbals and do many well known drummers |
| old. | | | | today. Avedis III's son Armand developed |
| The first Zildjian cymbals were made by an | | | | personal relationships with many of the top |
| Armenian alchemist named Avedis Zildjian, who | | | | drummers of his time, hand-picking cymbals to |
| was looking for a way to turn base metal into | | | | best suit each drummer. This became the basis |
| gold. While of course he had no success at this, | | | | for Zildjian's Artist relations department, and |
| he did create an alloy combining tin, copper and | | | | earned Armand the title of "Father of Artist |
| silver into a sheet of metal that when struck, | | | | Relations." |
| would make musical sounds rather than shatter. | | | | In 1968, the Avedis Zildjian Company bought the |
| The Sultan himself gave Avedis the name Zildjian, | | | | K Zildjian Company and all European trademarks, |
| meaning "cymbal maker" in Turkish. Zildjian started | | | | and opened a second manufacturing facility, the |
| his company in 1623, but kept the manufacturing | | | | Azco factory in Canada. |
| process secret. Sixteen generations later this | | | | The Quincy plant made cymbals using the |
| secret is still kept from the prying eyes of the | | | | traditional method of hammering, with a drop |
| world and especially other cymbal makers. This | | | | hammer. In 1970 the Azco factory developed the |
| closely guarded secret is known only to the heirs | | | | modern method of pressing cymbals into shape. |
| of the Avedis Zildjian Company. | | | | In 1977 Armand was appointed President by his |
| The Zildjian Company started out making | | | | father. Shortly after, his brother Robert split from |
| noisemakers to intimidate enemies of the | | | | the company and began to produce Sabian |
| Ottoman Empire, but by the 19th century had | | | | cymbals, another populat cymbal amongst |
| turned their trade into making cymbals as musical | | | | drummers today. |
| instruments. In 1908 Avedis Zildjian III left the old | | | | Armand was honored with a number of awards |
| world and moved to Boston, and in 1926 Aram | | | | during his long career. Following family tradition, he |
| Zildjian negotiated exclusive rights to distribute | | | | passed the secret of the famous cymbal alloy on |
| Zildjian cymbals with the drum maker Gretsch. By | | | | to his daughters, Craigie and Debbie, both of |
| 1928 Avedis III and Aram were manufacturing | | | | whom run the business today. |
| cymbals in Quincy, Massachusetts, competing with | | | | Zildjian cymbals are some of the most sought |
| the K Zildjian company in Turkey which eventually | | | | after cymbals on the market today and some |
| closed in 1970. Avedis III is responsible for many | | | | Zildjian K ride cymbals from the early 1950's and |
| of the modern innovations in cymbals. He created | | | | before can go for as much as $1,500 each on |
| drum-set cymbals, and gave them their names: | | | | auction sites such as eBay. |