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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
A Letter From Mr. Whitney.
Norwalk, O., Feb. 20, 1901.
Editor Music Trade Review:—
We enclose clipping from late advertise-
ment of Gimbel Bros.,of Philadelphia. For
a house of any character, or decency, to
put out such a misleading" advertisement,
is contemptible. Please notice the slick,
insinuating way in which they convey to
the public the impression that the A. B.
Chase piano is an off-shoot of the Chase
Piano Co., of Richmond, Ind. We quote
three or four paragraphs in their advertise-
ment which show on their face the con-
temptible meanness of the thing. They
say:—
"The Chase is made by a company char-
tered by the State of Indiana in 1879. The
founding company split, and as an off-
shoot there came the very excellent piano
of a similar name. These are not A. B.
Chase pianos. We have chosen the instru-
ments made in the original way by the
original company."
The writer of the advertisement well
knew that there was not a word of truth in
the insinuations contained in the second
and third sentences of this quotation.
It
is well known to the trade everywhere that
we are not an off-shoot of the Chase Piano
Co., of Richmond, or any other Chase
Piano Co. There is only one original A.
B. Chase Company, and it was chartered
in 1875, at Norwalk, Ohio, and we never
did business at any other place, or in con-
nection with any other Chase Company.
Again, referring to the last paragraph
quoted, it is well known that the Chase Piano
Co., of Richmond, Ind., failed, and was
closed out by James M. Starr, and that the
Chase Brothers went to Grand Rapids and
associated capital with them and continued
business, afterwards moving to Muskegon,
where they are now doing business in an
honorable way under their own name, so
that the statement Gimbel Brothers make
that "they have chosen instruments made
in the original way by the original com-
pany" is not true.
We were a good deal surprised that the
men whom we, and the trade generally,
have regarded as honorable men, and men
of character, that make up the Starr Piano
Co., should get the consent of their minds
to make a piano under this name. It
seems to us that they must have known
that a piano made under this name would
create confusion, and give an opportunity
for dealers all over the country to misrep-
resent it.
We see by the trade journals that the
charter of this company was only revived
week before last.
They seem to have
turned out pianos very rapidly, getting a
shipment of them to Philadelphia last
week. We suggest that the lumber that
went into these pianos could not have been
kiln-dried more than twenty-four hours, that
the varnish work must have been done by
something that would double discount Vic-
tor Victorson's process. Instead of putting
it into a bake oven at 120 degrees, they
must have put it up to 220 degrees. And
then, the bellying, and action finishing, fly
finishing, action regulating and tone regu-
ating all must have been done at lightning
speed. Then think of the transportation.
It must be somewhere near the end of the
Twentieth Century when freight time from
Richmond to Philadelphia is cut down to
about one hour and forty-five minutes. It
is more likely, however, that they were at-
tached to a flying-machine, and made the
journey through the air, seasoning the lum-
ber as they went.
But, to be serious about the matter, it is
a disreputable piece of business from be-
ginning to end for both the manufacturers
and the dealers that handle them. Is it
done for the purpose of deceiving the dear
people, hoping to again prove P. T. Bar-
num's assertion that the American people
are never satisfied unless they are being
humbugged?
Yours for honesty in the piano business.
The A. B. Chase Co.
Calvin Whitney, Pres.
The following is an excerpt from the ad.
to which Mr. Whitney refers. It appears
under the caption "Gimbel Piano Club: "
But as every one does not care for a race-horse, so the aver-
age musician—the great majority ot people who sing and play
—need not despair or worry, of their choice of piano is to be
from any one of a dozen good makes. The piano chosen for
The Qlmbel Club is the Chase—or, as we might put it, the orig-
inal Chase piano. It is a n made
by a company chartered by the
State of Indiana in 1879; c ' ' s made in the factory at Kichmond,
Indiana, that stands on the foundations of the original building
(which was burned). The founding company split and as an off-
shoot there came the very excellent piano of a similar name.
These are not the A. B. Chase pianos. We have chosen the in-
itruments made in the original way by the original company.
The Chase Pianos are splendid full-size 7 1-3 ociave Upright
Pianos, cased in mahogany, burl walnut or English oak, as you
prefer. Length, 5 ft. 3 in.; height, 4 ft. 8 in. The makers em-
ploy the highest order of mechanical skill. The sounding'
boards, the cases and even to the forming of the ivory keys, the
work is done in this one great factory. There is an average
stock of two miUion feet of selected lumber always seasoning in
the company's yards, and every assurance is yours that not only
are the pianos elegant in tone and looks now, but they are built
for great endurance and long life.
An Artistic Production.
A really artistic production is the new
catalogue issued by the American Piano
Mfg. Co., devoted to illustrations and de-
scriptions of the latest styles of Boothe
Bros, pianos. It is printed in two colors,
with special designs of marginal captions,
on heavy coated paper. From a literary
standpoint, the catalogue possesses con-
siderable merit, and some strong and con-
vincing arguments are adduced why in-
tending purchasers should give considera-
tion to the Boothe Bros, pianos. The
illustrations include style E, style F, style
G, orchestral grand uprights and baby
grands style i and style 2.
These instruments are not only hand-
some in design, but are distinctly original
in case structure, owing to the fact that
the American Piano Mfg. Co. make and
design all their own cases. Dealers inter-
ested in pianos that are bound to augment
their trade should write for this new cata-
logue and become acquainted with the
latest offerings of this enterprising institu-
tion.
Assets Now $700.
The estate of B. W. Hitchcock, the fa-
mous old music dealer of Park Row who
assigned some four years ago and whose
assets were estimated at $836,563.76, has
dwindled down to $700 now in receivers'
hands. Meanwhile, not a penny has been
paid the creditors. These facts came out
this week in the Supreme Court, and they
afford an illustration of what happens to
an estate when it goes into court.
Jacob Doll has leased the old Wilson &
White warerooms at 146 Fifth avenue,
next door to his present location. The
move will be made shortly.
Brown Bros., who recently opened up on
a large scale in the Perley Block, Salem,
Mass., are handling the Merrill piano as their
leader. Musicians who have visited this
establishment speak very highly of this in-
strument.
J. W. Van Zandt, of the Cable Piano
Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, was a visitor to
The Review sanctum this week. He spolce
cheeringly of trade conditions in his sec-
tion and looks for a record-breaking year.
Mr. Van Zandt has been visiting friends in
Meriden.
The Shoninger warerooms are being re-
decorated and, when completed the interior
will present a handsome appearance.
A. M. Wright, of the Everett Co., made
a trip to Cincinnati this week. He re-
turned on Wednesday.
Henry Eilers, of the Eilers Piano House,
Portland, Ore., Weber representatives in
that city, is in town. He has selected
stock.
L. W. P. Norris, of the Lindeman Co.,
now traveling in the firm interests, is
making an excellent record.
P. J. Gildemeester, Knabe ambassador,
is expected home to-morrow from his
Western trip.
The Minneapolis Music House, Minne-
apolis, Minn., report some large sales of
Henry F. Miller pianos. Those made last
week included two Henry F. Miller con-
cert grands, one to a prominent railway
official and the other to a wealthy business
man in that city.
David Evans, who formerly was con-
nected with the Estey branch in Spring-
field, Mass., is now traveling for Cluett &
Co., of Troy.
The Review received a satisfactory bus-
iness report at the Kelso factory on Thurs-
day. There is a steady demand. Three
new styles are in course of preparation.
Carter & Durough, have moved from
Tifton, Ga., to Valdosta, where they have
a broader field of operations.
The piano tuners of Steger & Sons are
arranging to give another dance in Steger
on March 2.
Louis P. Bach, of Kranich & Bach, re-
turned on Wednesday from a tour of Kra-
nich & Bach agencies and special busi-
ness.
The firm of Vanderbeck & Sattles, piano
dealers, in Plainfield, N. J., was dissolved
Wednesday by mutual consent.
The trial of David Schrank, who killed
George Schaeffer, a fellow workman in the
Sohmer factory on Dec. 13, was begun this
week in Long Island City. Insanity is
the defense.