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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
being presented by Director of Music K. N. Brad-
ley, while W. L. Bush, founder of the institution
expressed appreciation of the liberal attendance
Business Conditions Have Assumed a Summer-
and generous applause bestowed. The artists
Like Attitude—Members of the Trade Who
who participated in the program were assisted
Attended the Convention Pay a Number of
by fifty members of the Thomas Orchestra under
Calls Enroute—Work on New Knabe Build-
the direction of Ludwig Becker. In the large au-
ing Progressing—Jos. M. Mann's Report—A
dience were a large number of delegates to the
Peculiar Suit—Lertz Co.'s New Home.
Piano Manufacturers' and Dealers' conventions,
who were greatly interested in the remarkable
(Special to The Review.-
progress that has been made during the past
Baltimore, Md., June 24, 1907.
The hot weather has caused the piano business few years in the Bush Temple and Conservatory,
in this city to remain dull during the last two as well as in the record being made by the Bush
weeks, and the indications are that this condition & Gerts concert grand, which is being exploited
will prevail, 10 a greater or lesser degree, during to considerable extent at the present time by Miss
the next month or so. Many of the dealers have Louise Love, and a number of other artists. Miss
taken advantage of the slump and gone on out- Love, by the way, who recently closed a series
ings or pleasure trips to other cities, while the of twenty concerts, appears on Tuesday at the
clerks and other employes are beginning starting Elmira, N. Y., meeting of the State Music Teach-
in on their annual vacations. Those connected ers' Association.
The program interpreted at the commence-
with the trade who went to Chicago to attend the
annual convention of the National Piano Dealers' ment was one of unusual excellence, and en-
Association have not yet returned to Baltimore. abled the participants to display their capabili-
Most of them decided to remain in Chicago a few ties to the best advantage. The auditorium and
days longer, while others took advantage of the stage were profusely decorated with palms and
opportunity to make a trip into some of the other flowers, and the beautiful three-manual pipe or-
gan which occupies a prominent place in this
Western States.
The Knabe people are more active than most temple of art and music proved to be a great
of the other dealers in consequence of their re- feature in the accompaniment and orchestral
duction sale at the Lyric. They are getting along work. W. L. Bush, president of the Bush & Gerts
nicely in their efforts to dispose of the stock they Piano Co., has reason to feel proud of the suc-
have on hand before they are ready to occupy cess of this institution, in which he has always
their new home a t Park avenue and Fayette taken such an active interest.
street. Work on the new building is progressing
satisfactorily, and the members of the firm have
FOLDING KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.
no doubt but that it will be ready at the speci-
fied time. A number of handsome grands were Description of an Interesting Patent Granted
to W. D. Reaves—Reduces the Width of the
sold at the sale last week. Mr. Charles Keidel,
Piano Case Materially—May Form a Stock
Jr., manager for the Knabe firm has not yet re-
Company to- Manufacture Cases.
turned from Chicago, but is expected at the local
warerooms to-morrow morning.
(Special to The Review.)
While the dull wave has prevailed in the retail
South Bend, Ind., June 22, 1907.
trade the various factories in the city are making
W. D. Reaves, a well-known orchestral con-
elaborate preparations for the anticipated heavy ductor of this city, has been granted an impor-
fall trade.
tant patent on a folding keyboard for pianos,
Mr. Joseph M. Bann, manager for the Gilbert which possesses such merits as must appeal to
Smith Piano Co., in that city, says that local the trade at large, owing to the great demand for
business has been about as good as could be ex- pianos in small apartments, the entrance to
pected under present conditions. He is quite which is narrow. Mr. Reaves' invention pro-
busy at the present time looking after the interest vides for a folding keyboard, which may be tilted
of the firm.
to bring its undersurface flush with the front
The same report in regard to business at this face of the piano and thereby reduce the width of
season of the year is given out by the firm of E. the piano case from 10 to 13 inches, permitting it
K. Lumpkin. They are beginning to get in orders to be readily moved through narrow passages and
for the fall trade, which is expected to be above also affording more space in the room when the
the standard.
piano is not in use.
Plans are nearly perfected for the new home
The keyboard is pivoted in the end walls of
of R. Lertz & Son. While the actual work has the piano by means of a steel rod that extends
not yet begun it is expected that ground will be entirely through the key-bed with its ends pro-
broken in the very near future.
jecting from opposite ends of the key-bed. The
Miss Helen Cantor has brought suit for $10,000 projecting ends, or pintles, are journaled in ball
against the Kranz-Smith Piano Co., of this city, bearings, and from such bearings leads a groove,
for injuries alleged to have been received in a which extends upward and rearward, and opens
very peculiar manner. Miss Cantor says she in the rear edge of the front corner posts so that
went into the defendant's establishment in March the key-bed may be attached and removed from
last to buy a piano. A salesman was showing her the piano case by causing the pintles to traverse
a numiber and particularly drew her attention to the grooves, the pintles being retained in their
a very large one, asking her to stoop down and bearings by gravity.
examine the keys.
The key-bed is limited in its movement out-
As she did so the salesman let the lid fall. It ward and downward by stop-blocks mounted in
fell squarely upon her nose, breaking it above suitable brackets in the end walls of the piano
the bridge, mashing it so that there is now a case. These stop blocks are adjustable in the
large red mark upon the mutilated member and brackets by means of set screws, which have a
enlarging it. Miss Cantor says the accident made threaded engagement with brackets which these
a considerable alteration in her personal appear- stop-blocks engage, so that when the keyboard is
ance, and by no means for the better, hence the swung out to a position it will be arrested by the
suit.
extension coming in contact with the stop-blocks
TRADE NEWS FROM BALTIMORE.
A DELIGHTFUL AFFAIR
Was the Annual Commencement Exercises of
the Bush Temple Conservatory of Music—
Many Piano Men Attend—Noted Artists
Heard—Congratulation for W. L. Bush.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., J u n e 22, 1907.
when the key-bed reaches a horizontal position;
but in the event that there should be any varia-
tion in the position of the key-bed due to wear
or shrinkage or the like, which variation might
affect the proper operation of the action, a nicety
of adjustion between the key-bed, the keys and
the action is readily effected by the set screws.
KEY-BED FLUSH WITH FACE.
The keys are of the usual construction, and are
The annual commencement exercises of the mounted in the usual way upon the balance rail,
Bush Temple Conservatory of Music occurred in which is mounted on the key-bed. An ornamental
the Bush Temple Auditorium on the afternoon music holder may also be mounted upon the
of Friday, the teachers' certificates and diplomas key-bed in any suitable manner. To close the
spaces above the music holder and below the key-
bed when the latter is swung outward for use,
suitable flyboards are provided, which hinge to
the front of the case in such a manner as to
close the openings and remain flush with the
front face of the piano ;,«ase. When, however,
the keyboard is swung inward, these flyboards are
likewise swung inward, wherein the bottom of
the keyboard is flush with the front face of the
case.
By means of the invention the entire key-bed
with its keys may be readily removed from the
piano case either for repairs to the keyboard
itself or the interior of the piano, access being
readily gained to the latter through the large
opening caused by the removal of the key-bed;
and further the key-bed may be swung up within
the case when the piano is not in use or is to
be transported and such a swinging key-bed will
not affect the operation of the piano for the rea-
son that it may be adjusted relative to the piano
action. Generally the arrangement is one of
strength, simplicity and durability. Brass plates
are provided to prevent wear in the swinging
process.
The object of the invention is to obviate the
disadvantages accruing from the present manner
of building upright pianos, the cases of which
are of box-like shape with the key-bed project-
ing from one side thereof. In transporting a
piano from place to place or moving it through
narrow hallways and openings, the keyboard of-
ten offers an obstruction and further becomes
scratched and otherwise damaged. The invention
provides for a case that when closed, is straight
up and down and takes up at least a foot less of
space so far as the width is concerned. It makes
handling easier and removes such obstacles as
narrow stairways or rounding of corners.
Mr. Reaves says the design permits of as much
ornamentation as the old style cases, but that it
is more compact and permits of a better instru-
ment and less likely to be marred. One big piano
concern has asked to have the exclusive right to
use the case, but Mr. Reaves has declined to give
any answer at present. It is likely he will form
a stock company and engage in the manufacture
of the cases, but has formed no definite plans.
A number of manufacturers, retailers, jobbers
and musicians have seen the case and pronounce
it as just the arrangement needed.
The Staples Piano and Music Co. have opened
a branch store in Sanford, Me.
"DISTINCTIVELY HIGH GEADE"
She CHRISTMAN
STUDIO GRAND
is the greatest success of the day.
It possesses a scale of rare even
ness, atone of remarkable sonority
and richness, with a quality that
is highly orchestral. Our latest
styles of Grands and Uprights
mark a decided advance in the art
of piano-making. We court inves-
tigation. Some territory still open.
CHRISTMAN SONS, Manufacturer,
FACTORY AND OFFICE:
WAREROOMS:
869-873 Eut 137th St.
35 West Mth St.
NEW YORK