Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
With the Travelers.
The Bradbury Piano."
A REMARKABLY HANDSOME CATALOGUE ISSUED
BY FREEBORN G. SMITH.
T
HERE is much tocommend in the cata-
logue which has just reached us from
Mr. Freeborn G. Smith, manufacturer of
the Bradbury pianos. It is not only a
really handsome specimen of letter press,
but its general make-up and compilation
is admirably effective.
The title page contains portraits of
Messrs. Freeborn G. Smith, Sr., and Jr.—
perhaps the best ever published. On the
two following pages appear illustrations of
the Bradbury factories as well as of the
branch stores in New York, Chicago, Kan-
sas City, Brooklyn, Washington, Newark,
Paterson and Saratoga Springs. They make
a showing that is quite imposing, and dis-
tinctly demonstrate the extent of Mr.
Smith's interests.
Space will only permit us to refer to the
well-written introduction. Under the cap-
tions of "Looking Backward" and "Look-
ing Forward," a sketch of the evolution
of the Bradbury business, from 1867, when
William B. Bradbury retired, up to to-day,
is given briefly, and literary verbiage is es-
chewed. Facts are stated, and in this in-
stance facts make a mighty interesting
story, which is well told.
Following the introductory appear a
group of pictures of Presidents Grant,
Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison and
Cleveland, all of whom have been patrons
of the Bradbury piano. In addition to the
Presidents, appear the names of cabinet,
State and diplomatic officials who have en-
dorsed the Bradbury pianos during the last
twenty years. Some of the testimonials
forwarded Mr. Smith from these distin-
guished people appear in full, with vig-
nettes which are as beautiful as they are
perfect.
The balance of the catalogue is devoted
to descriptions and illustrations of the dif-
ferent styles of Bradbury pianos. Each
style stands alone on a page with an unusual
width of white, and the beauty of the in-
struments is thus set forth to great advan-
tage.
The catalogue throughout, from its
modest but singularly effective front cover
—on which stands out "The Bradbury
Piano" boldly and clearly—to the back
cover, which contains the addresses of the
Bradbury stores together with the auto-
graph of Mr. Smith extending his compli-
ments, is a credit to the publishers. It is
just such a catalogue as one would expect
from Mr. Smith. Nothing has been spared
to make it tasteful, perfect and effective,
and it shows thorough workmanship from
cover to cover.
AMONG the sufferers from the severe
electrical storm which passed through
Pennsylvania last week, was Chas. H.
Dubois, of Bradford. His music store was
badly affected. Damage, however, was
not heavy.
T
OMMY ATKINS was in a peculiar
mood when THE REVIEW man ran
across him. He seemed in a sort of stupor
and not himself. It was most natural to
inquire, "What in the world is the matter,
got caught in a cyclone?"
'' Not exactly,'' said Tommy, '' but caught
by something, and I'm blowed if I would
not like to find out what it is. Funny,
laughable perhaps, but what I am going to
tell you is not fiction, but a fact."
"Another snake story, eh?"
"Now we'll call quits if you don't take
me seriously. You see it happened in this
way. I met some Chicago friends last even-
ing, and we had quite a pleasant time, with
some disputatious arguments about New
York and Chicago thrown in. We parted
for the night, and after I had gotten home,
I fell into a 'brown study.' "
"Too much champagne, I guess."
"No, sir; drank nothing but apollinaris,
but, anyway, m)? 'study' resulted in the
most extraordinary—well, dream I suppose.
I imagined I was five years older than I am
—it was in the year 1901—and happening
to meet a Chicago friend I had not seen
for many years asked him how things were
out in that section. He proceeded: 'Ah,
that is the most wonderful city in the world.
In 1899, after Chicago sunk'
"Sunk!" Great Heavens! What do you
mean ?"
" 'Somewhere, I think, about two years
loo
Is afforded the dealer and mu-
sician who sells or plays that
modern and artistic creation, the
Henry F. fliller
Piano —
ago, Chicago, which had been settling for
some time, took a slump.'
" 'Figuratively, you mean.'
" 'No, literally.'
" 'What a fearful calamity.'
" 'So the rest of the world might have
thought. But Chicago regarded it as a
triumph of enterprise, and so indeed it
proved to be.'
" 'Explain yourself.'
" 'It was like this. The enormous build-
ings which they had erected began to go
down slowly. At first the Chicago people,
with that joyousness of disposition which
no calamity can disturb, regarded it with
amusement. They said if any one wanted
to reach the top story of any very high
building all he had to do was to have pa-
tience and it would come down to him.
But after a year or two, when people had
to go downstairs to go up and the third
and fourth floors were getting damp, and
there did not appear to be any well-defined
levels, that wonderful city took the matter
in hand. The Common Council got to-
gether and considered the matter. Public
meetings were called, and finally, by the
advice of competent engineers, it was deter-
mined to let the city sink till it reached
hard-pan, and then build s better one on
top of it.'
" 'Amazing intrepidity!'
'"Wasn't it?"
" 'And they succeeded?'
" 'Beyond all human calculation. As the
city did not sink fast enough for them after
they had made up their minds what to do,
they weighted the larger buildings—filled
them up with sand and Joliet stone. Then
the lake threatened to rush in as settlement
took place, and 'they built that stupendous
sea wall, which is the wonder of the world,
and let Lake Michigan in only to make la-
goons and grand canals. Chicago is now
the Venice of the New World. And it was
all done in five 3'ears.'
" Isn't this a peculiar concoction?" said
Tommy.
" Well, rather," said THE REVIEW man;
"you must have been reading the prophecies
about Western trade made by the editor of a
local contemporary."
"Yes, by jove, you struck it right this
time. I have been puzzling my brain all
the morning to find the cause of this night-
mare. I now feel relieved. "
"Come, let's have a strong lemonade."
A Wreck from the Cyclone.
VAST throng crowded the windows
of the Jesse French Piano and Or-
gan Co., corner of Tenth and Olive streets,
It is one of the best examples of yesterday, to see a piano taken from the
all that is latest and best in the wreck of the building corner of Seventh
r e a l m of piano construction. and Rutger streets, where twenty-three
That's the reason wide-awake people were killed, and side by side stands
dealers should handle it.
one of those famous Starr pianos-—so noted
for its superior tone and finish. The con-
trast will give every observer some idea of
the desolation wrought by the storm.—St.
88 BOYLSTON STREET
BOSTON, MASS. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 30.
HenrgFJir&sons Piano 60.
A