The Hirsbrunner or Hirschbrunner family has been making wind instruments for over 200 years. A total of eight generations worked across three companies established in the Swiss towns of Sumiswald, Grünen and Aarau. Christian Hirsbrunner (1748–1815) was the first of 18 members of the family who were involved in the businesses.

The first Hirsbrunner company operated in Sumiswald from around 1800 to 1880. Sumiswald is a village not too far away from Bern. In 1847, the second company was set up in 1847 in Grünen and was later moved in 1900 to Sumiswald. The company still exists today and there are some really interesting items to read on its website.

The third company was set up in 1870 in Aarau and concentrated on brass instruments with rotary valves.  

This B-flat instrument is marked G. HIRSBRUNNER, AARAU and was therefore made by Gottfried Hirsbrunner (1860-1936) who was in charge of the company from 1893 to 1927. In that year, his son Hans Gottfried took over until the firm closed when he retired in 1965. This instrument was probably made during the first quarter of the twentieth century.