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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
12
OBITUARY.
Patent on Automatic Piano.
Again Classified as Toys.
Mrs. Anna Q. Rossiter.
The death is announced of Mrs. Anna
G. Rossiter, widow of Joseph Rossiter,
who died at her late home in Pittsburgh
Pa., last week. She was born near Norris-
town, Pa., and about twenty-three years
ago went to Pittsburg where she became a
teacher of the Pittsburg Female College.
About sixteen years ago she resigned her
position and engaged in the music busi-
ness. She was well-known and esteemed
among musicians. Several sisters and
brothers survive her.
Patents on automatic pianos continue to
multiply. This week Joseph Wieser, of
Dolgeville, N. Y., was granted patent No.
651,788, which he has assigned to Herman
Leonard, of this city. The invention re-
lates to improvements in automatic pianos
of that class which are adapted to be played
at will either manually or automatically,
by means of a system of automatically-
operated devices controlled by a perforated
music sheet, a pneumatic-motor, and a
suitable wind-chest and suction apparatus
and in which the expression is produced by
the action of the pneumatic mechanism,
likewise controlled by the perforated mu-
sic-sheet, without requiring any personal
exertion.
In the protest of Adolph Strauss & Co.
of this city against imposing a duty of 45
per cent, ad valorem on harmonicas, the
classification Board of Customs Depart-
ment have ruled in favor of the importers
that they be classified as toys and dutiable
at 35 per cent.
Wm. H. Briggs.
Wm. H. Briggs, long a resident of
Maiden, Mass., died at his late home, 346
Congress street, last Saturday after a short
illness. He was fifty-five years old. He
was an old-time piano man and a skilled
mechanic. He served through the civil
war with a Maine regiment, and was a
prominent G. A. R. man.
Germain's Action.
[Special to The Review.]
Saginaw, Mich., June 12, 1900.
It would seem as if Edward Germain
does not find the paths of piano manufac-
turing entirely those of peace. Some
years ago he announced when he began
the manufacture of pianos that the estab-
lished system of manufacture was alto-
gether wrong and that he would show
manufacturers some points worth know-
ing. But Mr. Germain has not succeeded
in bringing about the revolution he antici-
pated, as his sales thus far have been small
and practically confined to Saginaw. He
has now commenced action against Clar-
ence E. Pryor, who recently joined with
Mr. Brewer and formed the Brewer-Pryor
Piano Co., to restrain him from manufac-
turing pianos according to certain plans
which he claims are an infringement upon
the Germain piano. Mr. Pryor was super-
intendent for Germain.
An astonishing fact is, that Judge Beach
has granted an injunction restraining Mr.
Pryor from manufacturing or selling any
of the goods which Mr. Germain claims
are an infringement upon his pianos. The
Germain pianos are stencilled, Saginaw
and New York. In trying to establish his
right to use the name of New York, Mr.
Germain says that he purchases his ma-
terials in that city, which gives him a right
to use its name.
The A. B. Chase Pianos.
George W. Herbert's warerooms at 10
East Seventeenth street contain a choice
assortment of pianos. They are worthy of
a special visit just now owing to some very
beautiful examples of A. B. Chase up-
rights which are to be seen there on exhi-
bition. The designs are attractive, the
veneers of an exceptional beauty, the fin-
ish satisfactory, while the tone properly ex-
cites the admiration of noted musicians.
The A. B. Chase has an increasing clientele
of admirers in New York, thanks to the
capable efforts of their representative—
Geo. W. Herbert.
Hard man Publicity.
The Review has already had occasion to
refer in terms of praise to the clever work
of William Dalliba Duttonin bookmaking,
a notable example of this being the Hard-
man Catalogue prepared in mediaeval fash-
ion, with elaborate artistic effects in black
and red, specially designed for the firm by
Will Bradley, of Cambridge, Mass.
The title page, in itself, is as interesting
Gildermeester Traveling.
P. J. Gildemeester, Knabe ambassador,
started on a three weeks' western trip on
Sunday. He expects to visit Chicago,
Kansas City and St. Louis during the tour.
Very Interesting Letters.
Frank Kirk, a member of the staff of
our progressive contemporary, the Music
Trades, is sending to his publication a
series of very interesting letters from Eng-
land, which show that he has acquired a
comprehensive grasp of the trade situation
across the water. Our contemporary is to
be congratulated on its enterprise.
The "Music Trade Review, Jr.," was a
brochure souvenir of the Music Trade Con-
vention held in Chicago last month. It is
marked "Publication Office, Berth 10, Car
Sapho, Association Special," and is filled
with personal gossip and trade notes.—
Fame for June.
in design as it is unique in lettering ar-
rangement. Like the other portions of
the book, it is in two colors, the second r
third, fifth, eighth and twelfth lines being
in red, thus giving a desirable, odd effect.
The catalogue above referred to has
been much admired as an example of ar-
tistic merit in book-making. It has also
been of great service in drawing the atten-
tion of desirable customers to the special
features of the Hardman products.
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Held on Serious Charge.
George J. Herman, of 222 Prospect
Place, Brooklyn, was held by Magistrate
Flammer, Tuesday, to enable John W.
Scott, of Wilmington, Del., to come here
to press a charge of having fraudulently
obtained three pianos worth $750, against
him.
Ludwig Prosperity.
There seems to be no limit to the growth
of the Ludwig prosperity. John Ludwig,
while at the French capital attending to
the firm's interests at the Exposition, must
be pleased to learn that, under Mr. Erics-
son's energetic and discreet management,
the United States' end of the Ludwig busi-
ness is developing at the same rapid gait
as heretofore.
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