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X
VOL. XVI. No. 3.
published Every Saturday.
*
ffeu/ Vor^, /August 27, 1892.
British or German Court especially, on pianos
or artistic products. The musical character of
the Steinway piano and the character of those
composing the firm, had to undergo careful
scrutiny before the appointment was conferred ;
A VISIT TO STEINWAY HALL. hence the importance and value of the honor
which Steinway & Sons in the United States
IMPORTANT EXTENSIONS.
and Europe display with such appreciative pride.
MR. CHARLES ZIEGLER—MR. ESHELBY—A SUC-
I refer to the appointment held from the British
CESSFULLY MANAGED HOUSE—ROYAL FAV-
Court. The establishment here has been for
ORS—THE ORIGIN OF THE LONDON
several years under the able executive manage-
BRANCH—INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT
ment of Mr. Charles Ziegler, who resides per-
OF THE SHOWROOMS—THE IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
manently in London. He is the brother of Mr.
CERT HALL.
Henry Ziegler, of New York, a well-known
member of the firm and a nephew of Mr. Wil-
MR. WILLIAM STEINWAY— MR. STEINERT.
liam Steinway.
. t f ARRIVED in the great British metropolis
Mr. E. Eshelby is the active manager, mean-
^-> on Monday last, after a pleasant trip while, and his peculiar fitness for the post he
across the Atlantic, and entered at once upon fills, renders Mr. Ziegler's position a very easy
ray duties as your special correspondent. I and pleasant one. The Steinway piano obtained
spent several days at first going around taking a foothold in England as far back as 1862. It
mental observations as to the condition of had won a noteworthy place at the London Ex-
trade. Things are quieter, on the whole, than hibition of that year, and Cramer, Beale & Co.,
they were this time last year,* but I do not place then a leading London firm, purchased the un-
much credence in the belief that a dull summer sold stock of exhibition instruments and were
is indicative of what is to occur from October appointed agents. By the way, the Concert
onward. Travelers for the piano trade report Grand, No. 4,607, which took the first prize at
business as being unusually dull in the pro- the exhibition, was only recovered by the Lon-
vinces, with a prevailing tightness in money ; don house last year. If was found by mere ac-
but dull summers have, more frequently than not, cident and is now treasured as a souvenir. Mr.
Eshelby pointed out its fine tone qualities to me
been followed by great briskness in trade.
It was a pleasure—apart from these signs al- last year, and remarked what a splendid exam-
luded to—to find Steinway & Sons, the leading ple it was of the well-known characteristics of
American piano house in London, enjoying a the Steinway, though thirty years old.
The Anglo-Continental Co. took up the agency
prosperous season, with ample evidences of the
fact visible. I visited Steinway Hall in this of the Steinway in 1874, and in 1877 it was in
great city last summer, as the correspondent of such demand that a branch house was estab-
one of your New York music trade contempor- lished at 15 Lower Seymour street. The move
aries, and was, therefore, in a position to form turned out a success. In 1885, Steinway & Sons
an estimate of the improvements made in the took the first gold medal at the London Inter-
premises since then, and of the present appear- national Patents' Exhibition, for the excellence
ance of things generally, as compared with of their instruments and for the ingenious and
striking patents embodied in them. About that
last year.
Steinway Hall in London is as well known as time they added No. 17 on the west side of the
the premier house is in New York, despite the property and made a number of changes in the
hugeness of the British metropolis and the great building throughout, yet hardly adequate to the
variety and number of its musical institutions. growing demands of the business. Steinway
Good management, liberal advertising and the Hall proper is an annex. It has an auditorium
identification of the greatest virtuosi with the peculiarly favored by artists for its fine acoustic
Steinway pianos at musical events, have accomp- qualities. Since I last saw it, it has been en-
lished this much for the instrument and the es- larged and vastly improved and now comfort-
tablishment here. The Steinway piano became ably seats over 800, while satisfactory egress is
so popular in the most exclusive and aristocrat- provided in case of fire. A special entrance for
ic circles that the appointment of this notable royalty has also been added. The Hall is ven-
American house as piano manufacturers to the tilated by Blaekinan's system, which Mr. Eshel-
Queen and Prince of Wales, was looked upon as by took some pains to illustrate to your repre-
nothing extraordinary. And yet, it was extra- sentative. It is one of the most perfect halls in
ordinary, for such a distinction is rarely be- London of its size and kind.
The arrangement of the various showrooms
stowed on makers outside of the British domin-
ions. In the United States it must be valued, and business departments is as follows: The
not because it emanated from royalty for which basement, a substantial, roomy and thoroughly
we cannot consistently have any superfluous dry section of the building, is devoted to the
reverence—I, for one, have none whatever—but storage of pianos and the accommodation of the
because it is never bestowed without consider- surplus stock. A large number of grands are
able investigation and consideration, by the stowed away here on an ingenious and useful
83.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES. 10 CENTS.
plan originated by the management of the Lon-
don house. The plan is also in adoption in
Steinway Hall in New York. Each grand is
provided with a small carriage padded and fitted
so as to insure it a secure and easy berth. The
legs being detached, the instrument stands up-
right on its length, resting securely and easily
on its side, and in that position can be stored
away with considerable economy. In this de-
partment the packing and shipping of instru-
ments are carried on, and every convenience is
present. When I passed through it everything
was indicative of bustle and push.
When you enter Steinway Hall from the
street you pass into the main showrooms on the
left, the entrance to the concert hall lying right
ahead. Handsome suites of offices for the staff
are railed off by the front window. The private
offices of Mr. Ziegler and Mr. Eshelby are situ-
ated upstairs. In the main warerooms I beheld
a splendid exhibition of Steinway grands in the
familiar styles. Grands alone are kept here.
The showroom for uprights is on the second
floor. All styles of instruments are well repre-
sented, and everything is maintained in apple-
pie order. To reach the second-hand and rent-
ing department, you pass higher still to the
third floor. That is a most important and
lucrative branch of the business. In another
department a staff of tuners, toners, regulators
and polishers are kept busy. I was much
gratified at the signs of prosperity and improve-
ment everywhere evident throughout these spa-
cious and well-arranged departments. While
going through, Mr. Eshelby pointed out a hand-
some parlor grand, beautifully finished in rose-
wood, inlaid with French marquetaire, which
has been purchased by Mr. Blake, the Prime
Minister of Queensland, Australia. It was being
touched up prior to being boxed and shipped to
the antipodes.
I may add at this point that Mr. Eshelby has
been connected with Steinway & Sons for many
years in various capacities, and on the 17th of
March next he will have completed his twenty-
third year in their service.
*
*
*
*
*
I learned that Mr. William Steinway, who [s
at Weisbaden, is recuperating, and acquiring
another stock of energy for the coming season.
He is expected in London about September 24,
and will probably proceed homeward from this
city.
I presume you have already published particu-
lars about the appointment conferred upon Stein-
way & Sons by the German Emperor, which is
an additional triumph to their many successes.
It has created much comment in London.
Morris Steinert, Sr., of New Haven, the enthu-
siastic and scholarly musical instrument col-
lector, spent some time here on his way over to
Vienna, and I believe made several valuable
purchases in antiques. He found London a very
congenial field for the indulgence of his tastes.
DANIEL SPILLANE.