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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
IOO
striking a chord upon a piano are, harsh, unsympathetic,
richer. If Mr. Smith's invention is placed before ihe
foreign ; a sort of rattling is heard in many pianos.
public, as it may be safely, he having patented it, " a
Mr. Smith's invention aims to soften these vibrations, to
piano of the same shade and style as the parlor furni-
THE NEW DEPARTURE OF THE SMITH AMERICAN CO.—
deaden them, as it were, rather by making them impos- ture " will probably become quite the fad on Common-
THE INVENTION THE IDEA OF MR. HENRY W. SMITH.
sible, however, than by smothering them, for the piano
wealth avenue.
N interesting group of musicians stood in the cased in plush gives forth pure, liquid tones without
Mr. Smith has also a patent slide that covers the key-
pretty office of the Smith American Piano
any loss of strength. The effect of playing upon them
board, while the fronts of his plush pianos have a hand-
Company a few afternoons ago, exchanging
is like that of a fine music-box, from which each sound
some silver panel just below the 'fretwork" in plush,
comments on an invention which they, as experts, had
seems to issue with a bell-like distinctness peculiar to
and upon the sides are heavy silver-plated handles to aid
been permitted to see first of any persons living except
itself.
in moving the instrument. This covering makes the
the inventor. The object of their interest was a mag-
The microphone has been used in making tests with piano impervious to dampness, it obviates all danger of
nificent upright piano. It was like other pianos, one
scratching and bruising in moving ; in appearance it is
this insulated piano and found to prove the correctness
would say if in the next room and listening carelessly to
richness itself, and the increased purity of tone which
of Mr. Smith's theory. A chord struck upon the piano
its tones, though unlike others to the ear of the ex-
this style of covering brings forth has won for the piano
gives forth the sound of the harmonic whole, yet each
perienced musician ; and to the eye unlike any other
note of the cord may be more easily distinguished from the profound admiration of musical people who have seen
piano ever shown in the world, tor it was encased,
One is soon to be
another than in any piano which it has been the writer's and heard these new instruments
every inch of it, in the richest of silk plush.
placed in a large dry goods store on Washington street,
privilege to hear.
The plush covering is not a mere ornamentation, but
and it is safe to say it will be the delight of all who have
The improvement in appearance made by the plush
an invention based on scientific principles and calculated
covering is surprisingly beautiful. Nothing can be an eye for the beautiful.—Boston Globe.
to improve the tone of the instrument wonderfully.
Otto Bendix, the celebrated Boston musician, first
ran his fingers over the keys.
" You have got a fortune there," was the enthu-
siastic comment to the pleased inventor who stood by.
SOLE AGENT FOR
Others, including the Globe representative, who accom-
panied the party because of his supposed knowledge of
music, testified in the same strain.
MANUFACTURERS OF
This idea of covering pianos with velvet plush origin-
ated in the brain of Henry W. Smith, of the Smith
Organ Company.
T O
Four beautiful instruments, lustrous in shades of old
No. 204 EAST 18th STREET, NEW YORK.
gold, crimson, Nile green, and blue, each stood in the
room for their examination. The first one of cloth in
—connection with the casings of pianos was made by an
Englishman some years ago. He made an iron piano
and padded the casings on the inside. The piano was
. intended for shipment to warm, wet countries like India,
Successors to STURZ & SONS,
and his object was solely to prevent dampness from
injuring the tone of the instrument. Mr. Smith's inven-
tion not only makes the instrument far handsomer than
any yet seen, but "insulates" the tone.
FACTORY, 142 Lincoln Avenue,
Many of the vibrations transmitted to the case by
Near 134th Street,
PIANOS IN VELVET PLUSH.
A
LOUIS G-EHLEET,
D1TTERSD0RFER FELT WORKS,
Superior Hammer, Damper and Action Felts,
STURZ BROS.,
MANUFACTURERS OF UPRIGHT PIANOS,
THE KOEHLER PIANO,
AN INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTED UPON
NEW PATENTS,
A™
NEW DESIGNS
NEW PRINCIPLES.
DEALERS
will do well to examine this instrument before placing orders elsewhere.
Temporary Cffice, Room 20, 1441 Broadway, New York
THE NEW BROADWAY THEATRE BUILDING.
STRAUCH BROS.,
BORNHOEFT & GOLLNIK,
Manufacturers of
MANUFACTURERS OP
ND, SQUARE and UPRIGHT
PIANO-FORTE ACTION,
NEAR
THIRTEENTH STREET
22, 24,26, 28 & 30 Tenth Avenue, NEW YORK.
MAHOGANY, WALNUT, WHITEWOOD
(POPLAR), CHERRY, OAK, ASH
AND LUMBER OP ALL
THICKNESSES.
Veneers Knife* cut and Sawed.
PIANOFORTE KEYS,
502 & 504 EAST 74th ST., NEW YORK.
Astoria Veneer Mills.
W. H. WILLIAMS, Prop.
MANUrACTUBEB AND SEALER I N ,
D1MENT1ON STOCK
IN VENEERS AND LUMBER A SPECIALTY
DOMESTIC AXTD FOREIGN "WOODS.
Office and Salesroom:
No. 120 E. 13th ST.
NEW YOEK.
Call, 645 «U« St.