20
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
January 5th, 1881.
MR. ERNST GABLER'S NEW FACTORY.
UR reporter called at the factory of Ernst Gabler in East 22d street,
and was somewhat surprised to find him in his old quarters, the first
floor in process of being cleaned up, and things commencing to look natural
again. The upper floors of the factory are occupied by workmen busily at
No. 4.
work turning out pianos, and everything is resuming its old-time appearance
of activity.
BUFFALO.
Considering that the disastrous fire which ruined this factory, leaving
JOHN M. SOHULEK.
only the walls standing, occurred on October 24th, it is really astonishing
HEN I was in Buffalo not long ago, I made it my business to call upon how much has been accomplished in a short time, and shows what a man
can do when he takes his work in his own hands instead of letting some one
several of the piano makers located there.
The principal manufacturer is Mr. John M. Schuler, who has a com- else do it for him. In Mr. Gabler's case this was accomplished by settling
modious and well appointed factory and warerooms at 916 Main street. He with the insurance companies at the earliest possible moment, and pushing
established himself in his present building about 1877, I believe, and prov- forward the repairs under his own personal supervision. There are very
ing himself an active business man has built up a very good trade. His few men in this country who could have recovered so quickly from such a
pianos are well spoken of, and in his manner of doing business he presents a disaster, and Mr. Gabler deserves to be congratulated, not only on his energy
strong contrast to some other piano makers in the same town. I have before in rebuilding his factory, and placing it in running order so soon, but also
me the memorandum of a letter written to Mr. Schuler by Mr. Alfred H. in being financially so well fixed as to be able to shoulder such a loss.
Pease, the pianist, in which he says : " I most cheerfully accord my testi-
Mr. Gabler has been manufacturing pianos since 1854, and has achieved
monial to the excellence of your upright and square pianos, having had on an enviable reputation for the quality of his pianos, both as regards tone and
more than one occasion the opportunity of testing their merits. I think they durability. He has for a long time occupied a place in the front rank of
fully meet the requirement of the musician, and I wish you every success in piano makers in this country.
their future manufacture."
After the fire which occurred in the midst of the busy season, when
The above is one of many complimentary testimonials which Mr. orders were pouring in faster than they could be filled even were the old
Schuler has had from celebrated artists, and as for the judgment of the local factory untouched and in full working order, Mr. Gabler found himself
press upon his instruments (and the local press ought certainly to be able to obliged to resort to some method of keeping his customers supplied, and he
pronounce an opinion upon the works of a fellow townsman), it is only proved himself equal to the emergency. The fire had left unharmed the
necessary to quote the following words from the Buffalo Commercial Adver- building opposite the old factory in 22d street, in which there were several
hundred finished and partly finished pianos. Men were set to work at these
tiser, of October 5th, 1878.
" We wonder if our readers'.are aware that some of the very best pianos in as rapidly as possible, and the building on the corner of 14th street and Third
the country are made in Buffalo. Such is the fact, and they are made at avenue, which was occupied by Decker & Son, before their removal up-town,
Mr. John M. Schuler's extensive manufactory at 916 Main Street. His was hired and a force of men also set at work there. Of course many vexa-
instruments have been before the public for many years, have been severely tious delays occurred in filling orders, but customers were kindly disposed.
tested, and have admirably conformed to all the conditions of the severest They knew what the Gabler piano was and did not propose to take any other,
tests that could be applied to them. The action is firm and prompt, the tone if there was even a remote prospect of getting it, so, as far as we know, not a
clear, brilliant and well sustained. Mr. Schuler manages, withal, to put his single customer has been lost on account of the fire and Mr. Gabler is in just
instruments into cases of striking richness and taste, and to sell the complete as good shape, as far as his trade is concerned, as if the fire had never taken,
pianos for prices far below what is demanded for instruments not nearly as place ; indeed, he is even in a better position than before, because he has the
good put upon the market by makers of more reputation. Mr. Schuler can sympathy of his customers for his great financial loss, and at the same time
show testimonials as to the excellence of his pianos from teachers and per- has won "the admiration and respect of the trade for his energy and pluck in
formers of reputation, and we advise those intending to purchase to look recuperating so rapidly.
over his stock before they make up their minds."
The following conversation took place a few days since, on the office
Not long ago Mr. Schuler turned out the first grand piano ever man- floor of the rehabilitated factory, between Mr. Gabler and our reporter.
Reporter—Well, Mr. Gabler, I see you have got back to your old quarters
ufactured in Buffalo, and if I may judge by the rich, sweet, and powerful
tone of this instrument, I should say that it was destined to become a great again and they do not look much the worse for the fire, on the contrary, the
exterior of the building looks rather better than it did before.
favorite.
Mr. Gabler-—Yes, we are hard at work again trying to fill our orders
C. KUKTZMAN.
with a better prospect of doing so than for the past two months. Our men
Although knowing that the above named piano manufacturer had are all at work up-stairs turning out pianos as fast as they can.
Reporter—How many pianos are you turning out now ?
allowed himself to drop from a fair position among the makers of cheap
Mr. Gable)'—About forty a week.
instruments to one where he is scarcely noticed by either the trade or the
Reporter-—How many per week do you consider the capacity of the
public, I thought it my duty to call upon him, while in Buffalo, at his
factory to be '?
factory.
Mr. Gabler—We could make fifty a week, if things were in proper shape ;
Kurtzman has a queer, dirty, dusty looking place, giving me the impres-
sion that everything was run on a slipshod principle. As I entered the place but it is too soon after the fire, to expect that.
Reporter—I do not quite understand you ?
I encountered a rather dilapidated looking old individual whom I imme-
Mr. Gablei—Why a large part of our seasoned material was destroyed
diately recognized as Kurtzman himself, having once spent an hour in
conversation with him about a year before. As I handed him my card he by the fire, and it cannot be replaced in a day. We must wait for it. It would
not do to put unseasoned stock into our pianos and spoil the good reputa-
glanced furtively at it and said, as a look of anxiety came over his face,
tion which it has taken so many years of hard work to obtain. No, we must
" Mr. Kurtzman isn't in, he has just gone out."
" What!" said I, "do you mean to say that you are not Mr. Kurtzman?" wait even if our customers are delayed a little.
Reporter—I should think with your large and growing trade you would
"No, no, no," he almost gasped. " / am not Mr. Kurtzman. He has
just gone out, I tell you, and I have got some business up-stairs, and I must soon think of enlarging.
Mr. Gabler—I have often thought of it, and the lots adjoining this build
go right up there," and off he hurried as fast as his legs would carry him,
leaving me with the impression that, either I was grievously mistaken, or ing would be just the place for a new factory.
Reporter—Well, why don't you go ahead now and build?
that Mr. C. Kurtzmah was guilty of a very unnecessary lie.
Gabler—I shall probably do so in the spring. Nothing could be
Just as I was about leaving the place, another, and a younger man, done Mr.
with brickwork this winter, but if business shows well for the new year,
entered the room.
we shall be obliged to do something.
" Who would you like to see '?" he asked.
don't see why you cannot extend your business indefinitely,
"Well, I called to see Mr. 0. Kurtzman," I replied, thinking I would as it Reporter—I
is merely a matter of hiring more workmen and clerks.
like to see how the matter would turn out. "But I understand that he is
Mr. Gabler—You may think so, but the case is different with me.
not in.
additional piano made in my factory requires additional care on my
" Oh, yes he is," said the man, "he just this moment went up stairs. I Every
part to supervise it. I am not among those who trust their business entirely
am his son-in-law, and I will go and call him for you," and off he went.
clerks. I must see to it myself, or my reputation as a piano
" This," said I to myself, as I sat down on a piano stool, and watched to their
would soon cease to be what it is now; and I would rather sleep
a workman who was sleepily tinkering an old worm-eaten piano, " this, is maker
quietly at night, with a mind free from care, than be the biggest piano
going to be funny."
I waited at least twenty minutes, and it got so funny that it began to maker in the country.
Reporter—Your motto seems to be to make a small number of good
grow tiresome, for neither the untruthful Mr. C. Kurtzman nor his son-ni-
pianos rather than a large number of poor ones?
law put in an appearance.
Mr. Gabler—You are right. The old-time standard of the Gabler piano
Very soon after that I discovered the secret of the whole matter. My
be strictly maintained; and if the time comes when the contingency is
card bore the words, " THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW," and about will
forced upon me of either making bad pianos or retiring from the business, I
a year before the venerable Mr. Kurtzman had contracted with the old shall
accept the latter alternative without hesitation.
Music Trade Review or a certain amount of advertising. He gave his
At this point the conversation assumed a general tone, and shortly after-
notes, so I understood, in payment for the same, but, up to the present time,
has never yet met those notes with the cash. He was one of those indi- ward our reporter departed.
viduals who managed to owe John C. Freund, instead of letting John C. Freund
owe him, and he evidently thought that I was a representative of the old
ORGAN WANTED.—The Crystal Palace Company, of London, are prepared
Music Trade Review come to get the ^noney out of him, which he had flat- to receive tenders for a great organ to be built at the Palace.
ered himself he would never be obliged to pay.
C. A. W.
MEDAX OF HONOR.—The first medal of honor awarded to foreign makers
at the Dominion Exhibition at Montreal was gained, it is stated, by the firm
NEW FIKM.—We have it on the authority of the Pittsburgh, Pa., Tele- of Philippe Herz, of Paris.
graph, that the firm of Mellor, Hoene & Hendricks, is doing an astonishing
NEUMEYER & Co.—Messrs. Neumeyer & Co. having succeeded in coming
trade in the Wheelock & Hale piano. We have heretofore considered our- to an arrangement with their workpeople at Berlin in reference to the late
selves pretty well posted about the movements of the piano trade, but we strike, have issued a circular to the trade stating their intention not tp in-
now have to resign in favor of the Pittsburgh paper. In regard to the form- crease the price of their pianos, although the cost of manufacturing is in-
ation of this new firm, we cannot help thinking that the combination is an creased.
immense one, but we hardly know which of the parties to congratulate.
FOREIGN PATENTS.—Among the new patents of last month are an inven-
COLTON.—The Brooklyn violin maker, Colton, haa found a rival in a tion by Mr. Schreiber, of Neumeyer & Co. 's, of improvements in stringed in-
man in Pittsburgh, by the name of George Stainm. At least so Pittsburgh struments and in actions ; and a new combination of harmoniums and pianoa
people assure us.
by Mr. Crokaert, of Sheffield.
TRADE
W
IN
THE WEST.
O