The Farrand-Cecilian Piano & Organ Company was originally founded in 1883 as The Detroit Organ Company in Detroit, Michigan. In 1887 the firm was purchased by C. J. Whitney and E. S. Votey and the name of the firm was changed to “Farrand & Votey”. In 1897 the name of the firm was changed to “Farrand Piano Company”, and their concentration went from building primarily organs to building pianos and player pianos.

In the early 20th Century, Farrand built a line of very well made player pianos under the Cadillac Piano brand name. Instruments by the firm were known to be of very good quality, and were generally of a higher grade overall. By the ‘teens and ‘twenties era, player pianos built under the names Farrand – Cecilian, Farrand and Cecilian were manufactured by the prominent Bush & Lane Piano Company.