Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
August 5th, 1881.
188
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
mons last month, Mr. G. Anderson, the mover, in
Reporter.—-How is the piano key business now,
the course of an interesting speech, in favor of the
during the Summer season ?
repeal of the taxes on brains, gave a few statistics
Mr. Behning.—It usually falls off at this season;
which, although known to some, will bear re-stat-
but it lias not done so this year. We have many
more orders than we had at this time last year.
The music store of Leiter Bros., in Syracuse, ing here. The initial payment in Germany was
was totally destroyed by fire on the morning of £10 10s., in Austria £10, in France £4, in Belgium
SECKETS OP THE STRING BUSINESS.
July 19th. Loss reported at $35,000. Insured 8s, in America £7, and in Great Britain £25. The
next payment was at the end of three years, and
During a chat with a string maker of this city, for $12,000.
one of our reporters inquired about the condition Robert H. Montgomery, aged 35, was recently at this period the payments were again in Ger-
many £16, in Austria £10, in France £1G, in Bel-
of the piano string making business, and received employed as bookkeeper by Messrs. Morse &, gium
£5, in America still the initial payment of
the following reply:
Emerson, string makers, of 728 Seventh avenue; £7, and in Great Britain £75. Again, the next
String Maker—The piano string making business this city. He left them on July 8th, and shortly payments
at seven years afterwards, and at
is unusually active for this season, but prices are afterwards they ascertained that he had been forg- this stage were
the
payments
which would have been
unsatisfactory, there is an intense rivalry between ing their firm name on the backs of checks, which made amounted in Germany
£71 10s., in Austria
two small houses in this branch of the trade, and had been received by mail, to the amount of $475, to £3(5, in France to £32, in to Belgium
to £14 5s.,
this has been largely the cause of a decline in and also that his cash was short about $450 more. in
America still the initial payment of £7, while in
prices. Unless a string is made in a thoroughly The firm received a letter ftom him stating that he Great
Britain the inventor would have paid £175.
first-class manner, many of them will come back, had met with an accident and was in the hospital;
to the maker. This largely adds to the cost and this proved to be merely a ruse to gain time.
The new model oboe, which is now being sup-
takes off the small margin of profit in their manu- Detectives were put on his track and they succeed- plied by Mr. Sharpe (of Pudsey, near Leeds,
facture. There are two makers of inferior strings ed in arresting him on July 17th, and lodging him England,) contains several important alterations
in this city selling them as low as seven cents in Jefferson Market jail.
and additions. Five self-acting keys have been
apiece. There is no money in such business.
added, also one self-acting lever, which renders
Messrs.
Steinway
&
Sons,
of
this
city,
have
built
Reporter—-Is it not a difficult matter to introduce
the middle E flat perfectly safe and certain. It is
a new make of piano strings in the piano factories ? for the use of their employees at Astoria a bathing claimed for the new model oboe that the intonation
house,
100
x
50
feet,
containing
fifty
dressing
rooms.
Siring Make?'—Yes it is very difficult, because a
is very equal from top to bottom, so that, whatever
fair judgment is seldom possible. I have known The cost of the structure was $2,000, and it was key the performer may be playing in, he can de- *
instances where strings have been tampered with opened for the first time July 28th.
rive pleasure and satisfaction in his performance.
to make them appear of inferior quality. There is Mr. Greener and his attorney, Minrath, are still The fingering for the right-hand has also been
a great deal of clannishness and favoritism on the on the warpath looking for scalps of weak-kneed improved, being now both easier and better. On
all other oboes, G sharp and A flat are produced
part of foremen in factories, each having his pre- piano manufacturers.
from the same hole. The consequence is that,
judices in favor of his friend the string maker.
Often a little "soap " is used to make things work It is stated that the Emerson Piano Company, of while G sharp is a good note, A flat requires the
Boston, are shipping off seventy pianos per week, reed to be pinched, especially the middle A flat.
smoother.
six of which go to San Francisco. The business of Now, on the new model oboe, a self-acting key has
the company is something unusual for this season been added, which renders both notes perfect.
SCHAEFFER ON THE SITUATION.
of the year, and with a prospect of its continuance
Our reporter found Mr. Wm. Schaeffer, the piano all
summer, their factories are working on full A new pianoforte has just been completed by
manufacturer of No. 524 "West 43d street, alone in time.
Messrs. Broadwood & Sons, of London, which
*
his factory on the morning of July 27th, and on
combine the excellences and. advantages of the
asking the reason, Mr. Schaeffer said all his men The Boston World's Fair project has reached the modern
grand pianoforte, as regards compass,
were enjoying themselves at Elm Park with the point where people are beginning to ask, " What touch, tone,
and mechanism, with the antique ex-
rest of the piano makers.
are we waiting for ?" This is the first really dis- terior of the obsolete harpsichord. The case is of
Reporter—I had forgotten that this was the couraging sign that has thus far appeared. When unpolished oak.
annual pic-nic day, do the men feel all right now an enterprise stands still at that point for a short
Still another new treatment for pianoforte sound-
on the wages question ?
time its inertia is hard to be overcome.
boards! These, consisting principally as they do
Mr. Schaeffer—I think they do, and if they don't
they ought to, for it is well known that they are Mr. Clark, Commissioner of Customs at Mel- of pine wood, often act differently from what was
getting higher wages than any other class of bourne, Australia, has given orders to seize several expected, even when prepared with great care; the
mechanics. There was a time a few years ago, pianos consigned to Messrs. Long & Co., of that reason being that the wood contains soft resin un-
before the strikes, when the men were not receiv- city, the value of the instruments having been, equally distributed. This resin Herr Wolkenhaur
ing enough money for their work, but all that has it is alleged, understated on the invoices accom- (of Stettin) now removes from the wood, substitut-
panying the goods. Messrs. Long's defence is ing for it a hard resinous mass, where the evil is
been changed since.
Reporter—I see very few pianos here, how is that they have only lately taken over the agency said to be remedied, while the vibrating power of
of the firm, and that the invoices have been made the wood is considerably increased. The boards
your business now ?
Mr. Schaeffer—I am selling all the pianos I make. out by the London firm without their knowledge are first placed in petroleum ether for twenty-four
I don't say all I can make, and it is not necessary or sanction. The affair has created some stir, both hours, and after drying they are subjected to the
in the newspapers and the trade. The Commis- special liquid (powdered copal, sandarach, glass,
for me to keep many on hand.
sioner of Customs has inaugurated his entry into and aloes in spirits) which is the new treatment
Reporter—Are prices satisfactory ?
Mr. Schaeffer—They are about the same as they office by several similar seizures in different above mentioned.
were, and the margin is still too small. The deal- branches of trade, and is determined to make a Dr. J. Stainer has commenced his duties as the
ers are making more money than the manufactur- severe example of all offending parties, the practice principal
of the National Training School at Ken-
ers. We need some kind of an organization to of undervaluing being to common.
sington, London.
prevent manufacturers from cutting under each
Colonel William Moore, formerly of the Emerson Mr. Alfred Dodge, the well-known felt and
other's prices continually, but, of course, under Piano Company, of Boston, has been in Denver,
manufacturer, of this city and
present circumstances, that is impossible.
Col., for some time, and he is now conducting sounding-board
Brockett's Bridge, returned from Europe, per
Reporter—What class of pianos do you find the there a mining and political journal.
steamer Spain, on July 24th after a very successful
trade demanding most now ?
Mr. Schaeffer—There is no telling, it is a curious On another page will be found a report of the tour, during which he visited almost every city in
trade, one month they want high priced pianos founding of a society for the protection of the in- Europe, and made business connections which have
terests of music publishers, by name the "Music already resulted in large shipments of his goods.
and the next month they want low priced ones.
Publishers' Association," the committee of which
There seems to have been an epidemic of de-
will have its hands full of work for some time to faulting
THE GERSTEB TESTIMONIAL CONTROVERSY.
bookkeepers and confidential men in the
come,
judging
from
the
programme
which
they
One of our reporters called on Mr. Albert Weber have laid out for their delectation. The mere men- music trades lately. The latest happened in a
last week to see if he had anything to say about tion of some of the questions which the Associa- prominent concern where the bookkeeper took
$3,000 and $5,000, part of that being "lifted"
the great Prima Donna piano testimonial contro-
intends to look after—to wit, the Copyright from
the private account of one of the members of
versy. The following is a synopsis of the con- tion
Act,
"
performing
"
rights,
the
settlement
of
dis-
the concern. The dishonest bookkeeper has pro-
versation which was held.
and the best means of eco- mised to make up the total amount within a cer-
Reporter—Mr. Weber, I have called to see if you putes by arbitration,
winding up insolvent estates—proves tain time, and if he is not promptly on hand, the
have anything to say to THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND nomically
that it intends to look on hard work with a light entire affair will be made public and the book-
TRADE REVIEW about the Gerster controversy.
On its committee are some of the most bus- keeper will go to jail.
Mr. Weber—No, I have nothing to say for the heart.
members of the publishing trade ; and
present. I am waiting for some one to attempt to iness-like
wish it all possible success. The time for its On the occasion of the piano makers' annual pic-
reply to the statements I have already made. we
has been ripe for some time; and we nic July 27th, the Astoria employees of the house
Nothing has as yet been brought forward to weaken formation
strongly advise those members of the publishing of Steinway & Sons, numbering with their families
the testimonial I have from Mme. Gerster, which trade
have not yet enrolled their names, to at least 1,000 persons, accompanied by a band of
was a voluntary one on her part, while there is no do so who
without
Opinion and Music music of twenty pieces, marched to the factory dock,
evidence that the one she gave to Steinway & Sons Trade Review, delay.—Musical
where they were joined by GOO employees from the
London.
was not paid for, at any rate I have seen no evi-
New York factory of Steinway & Sons, and embark-
Mr. Kew, music smith, of London, has just ed on one of the Harlem boats which they filled
dence yet to prove that she does not individually,
that is, for her own use, prefer the Weber piano patented one or two improvements in the con- from stem to stern. They then sailed around the
struction of pianofortes, especially with reference city to the foot of 96th street from whence they
to all others.
Reporter—How is business with you this summer ? to the vertical iron front. Mr. Kew claims that his marched in a body with their band leading to Elm
Mr. Weber—Well, you can partially judge of its invention "obviates the necessity of any break in Park. Each of the employees were furnished with
extent by these monthly statements I am sending the scale or spacing of the strings, and thus allows a handsome silk badge ornamented with gold lace,
out, here are those (taking them from his desk) of of the application of any usual sticker or hammer anu all the expense of transportation, band, etc.,
action."
$1,000 and upwards.
was met by Messrs. Steinway & Sons.
Our reporter glanced at them and found them
The
organ
trade
of
Paris
was,
at
last
accounts,
Rinaldo Alden, of Chicago, 111., assignor of two-
to amount to upwards of $45,000.
quiet, some of the most eminent firms thirds
to William H. Howe and Frederick S. Grant
Mr. Weber—That's a pretty good indication, eh! exceptionally
being
quite
short
of
orders.
of same place, has patented a Music Book Holder.
without counting those of less than $1,000. Come
in and see me again, I may have something to say During the second reading of the Patents Bill, No of Patent 244,512. Application filed April 11th,
which took place in the English House of Com- 1881.
after an attempt has been made to reply to me.
TRADE CHAT