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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
are frequent. The common trick, however, is
to have one piano in the house, furnished by
the makers as a show piano. This piano is
finished in an excellent manner, the regulation
and tuning being exceptionally good. When
the confiding customer buys, a similar piano of
the same number is sent from the factory. In
this way the same piano does service as a sam-
ple for a long time.
explanation always ready on the tip of his
tongue. This explanation proves so diverting
that it extracts at least five cents from the ques-
^
time ago in this paper we called atten-
tioner. While this is all very well for the organ
^
tion to the great injury done legitimate
grinder, for Mr. Sousa it is not half such fun.
piano dealers by unscrupulous persons who,
The joke is at his expense.
through the columns of the Sunday papers, re-
Ever since the hand organs got hold of his
present themselves as desirous of disposing of
"
Washington
Post March " the Bandmaster's
their so-called first class pianos at a sacrifice,
life
has
been
a
burden
to him. Not one of them
because of various reasons, such as giving up
by
any
chance
ever
plays
it in the proper time.
house keeping, owner gone South, death in the
One
morning
about
a
month
ago Sousa ran
family, etc., and palming off instead cheap 44
across
the
Irishman.
He
was
playing
the march
stencil instruments. This imposture has work-
at
a
dirge-like
pace,
which
set
Sousa's
teeth on
ed very satisfactory, and unsophisticated people
edge.
Snatching
the
handle
of
the
organ
away
is a red headed organ grinder at
have been induced by clever tricksters into buy-
from
him,
Sousa
exclaimed
angrily:
"My
large
in
the
upper
portion
of
the
city
just
ing an inferior piano at double its actual value
now whom Bandmaster Sousa is particularly heavens, man ! Why don't you play it with a
if bought in a regular way.
little energy ? There's nobody dead on this
One of the bright young men of the World anxious to encounter. On Monday morning,
block!" The Irishman stood by, open-eyed
visited several of these so-called private families says the N. Y. Sun, this organ grinder was
with wonder as Sousa dashed through the
seen
on
West
Sixty-fifth
street.
Yesterday
he
with pianos to dispose of, and out ot a lot did
measures of the march at a rattling pace.
was
observed
trundling
his
instrument
along
not find one as represented. Instead of being
" And who are you, anyhow? " he exclaimed
standard makes they were all stencilled pianos Forty-second street. Wherever he goes this
man coins money— not that his music is par- at length.
of the cheapest grade and perfectly new.
" I am Mr. Sousa," explained the bandmaster.
The first place he visited was 127 East 117th ticularly edifying ; it isn't. But around the
"
I
composed that march. Don't mind my
neck
of
the
organ
grinder
there
hangs
a
placard.
street, where he wished to see a piano advertised
giving
you a friendly pointer." The Irishman
Whoever
observes
this
placard
feels
bound
to
to be worth $850 and only four months in use.
retired
with his features wreathed in smiles.
investigate
its
meaning.
The
Irishman
has
an
The fall-board bore the name of Schumann &
Next
morning
the mysterious placard appeared
Son, New York, and, according to the lady of
about
his
neck.
It is printed in red ink and
the house, it is an old standard make of piano.
runs
as
follows
:
The reporter says there was sufficient honesty
about the woman's appearance and manner to
A PUPIL OP SOUSA'S.
deceive almost any one. After asking her where
she bought the piano, and being informed that
is an expressive word. Many
it was on 43d street, between 9th and 10th
firms know its meaning. In
avenues, the reporter left, after learning that her
name was Mrs. Charles Davis. A visit to the
IN the hands of S. W. Raubenbush, of St.
our factory we make and ship
vicinity of 43d street and 10th avenue found no
Paul,
the popular Pease piano will be
pianos every day—almost.
Schuman & Son Piano Company, but a manu-
" boomed " for all it's worth. They are a pro-
That's what we like. Still,
facturer of stencilled pianos, who would put
gressive house, liberal advertisers, and extremely
it
doesn't surprise us, for we
Schuman & Son on the lid of a piano for $115.
popular with the trade.
have the best low-priced pianos
The next place the reporter visited was 774
J. W. NORTHROP, the popular manager of the
in the field. Consult for prices.
Lexington avenue, where he was amazed to find
Emerson piano warerooms in Chicago, has, ac-
the husband of Mrs. Davis where he had just
cording to the Indicator, returned from a Florida
left, carrying on a similar business on a much
trip with every evidence of having discovered
larger scale. As usual the furniture of the house
the Elixer of Youth. He has rosy cheeks,
was being sold at a sacrifice, and Mr. Davis was
bright eyes, and a fund of short stories about
517—523 W. 45th St.
New York.
simply " disposing of the furniture for the family
his piscatorial experiences. His first tarpon
who had moved out.'' In one corner of the
weighed 148 pounds and was six feet ten
room was another " famous " Schumann & Son
inches long. It took Mr. Northrop just one
piano, which Mr. Davis informed the reporter
hour and twenty minutes to land the monster.
cost $500. This made the reporter smile when
The struggle was more trying than a combina-
he remembered that he could buy the "cele-
tion
of prize fights. His next day's catch was
A
'
OF THE
brated " instrument for $115.
twenty-three channel bass, five of which weighed
His next visit was to 210 West 42d street,
over thirty pounds each, ad infinitum. If we
where a Miss Hart advertised the sale of a piano
weren't aware of the proverbial truthfullness of
in consequence of a " death in the family." The
piano men in general, and if the statement
piano for sale bore the name of Bradford & Co.
wasn't vouched for by our esteemed contem-
When asked by the reporter the reason for sell-
porary, we should become skeptical of this able
ing the piano, she stated it was because of
contribution to the literature of the sea.
'' giving up house keeping,'' but when shown
THE; popular bandmaster, Fred. N. Innes,
the advertisement about the '' death in the
has
composed a spirited march for full military
family," she looked disconcerted, but recovered
band
which he has dedicated to the N. Y. World.
herself and made the best of it. This piano, she
It
appeared
in last Sunday's paper arranged for
stated, cost $475 last May, but again the annoy-
piano.
It
is
bound to win a large popularity.
ing advertisement stated that it cost $800. She
'PUKITY AND SWEETNESS of TONE.
MR. MORRIS STEINERT delighted a fashion-
stated to the reporter that this was a mistake,
'SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTION.
able audience at the Hotel Waldorf on January
that she had the receipted bill, which she pro-
(THE ONLY STRICTLY
29th by his lecture and playing on the spinet,
'DURABILITY.
duced. In the face of the fact that the " Brad-
HIGH GRADE PIANO
clavichord
and harpsichord.
ford " is a stencilled piano, which the reporter
MANUFACTURED
'BEAUTY.
learned could be purchased for $100, the receipt
IN CHICAGO.)
MR. C. C. COLBY, J R . , of the Colby Piano
suggests a few incongruities.
Co., has been telling a reporter of the Erie
Herald "that their firm is running full time.
HOW THE TRICK IS DONE.
Business is rapidly picking up, with a bright
However, there are ways of approximating a
outlook for a brisk spring trade."
name. For instance, Schuman is not far differ-
SOLE FACTORS.
ent from Schubert, Meyer & Co. from Meyer
OUR office boy, who is a stickler on etiquette,
Bros., Bradford from Bradbury. Upon people
would call the attention of the Courier to the
not thoroughly familiar with the names of
fact that plain John or Morris So-and-so is just
standard makes it is not a difficult task for
good enough for citizens of this democratic
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL WAREROOMS,
tricksters to palm off a stencilled piano for a
country, without tacking on an " Esquire.'' It
standard make of a similar name.
is destitute of meaning, carries no compliment
2I5 WABASH AVE-, and is tabooed by all intelligent writers. This
Daring instances of having the names of well- (SECOND FLOOR.)
known, reputable manufacturers put on the lid
is on the Q. T.
Experiences of a Reporter.
A Pupil of Sousa's.
Interregnum
CHAT.
(l&f Iin Pi&no Qo.
A POINTS OF SUPERIORITY
Celebrated
"Conover"
Pianos.
CHICAGO COTTAGE ORGAN COMPANY,
(The Largest Dealers in Pianos and Organs in the World,)
-
CHICAGO.