Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Conducted and Edited by Wm. B. White.
filled-in surface with French varnish before pol-
ishing.
The American public has always seen fit to
Light scratches should be rubbed with fine
demand that its pianos be decorated with a high sandpaper and oil until they no longer show,
lustrous finish, produced through varnishing the when they can be touched up with French var-
wood. The high luster thus obtained is un- nish. After this has dried the usual methods
doubtedly very 'beautiful when fresh, but it is of polishing are to be used, unless the scratch
an unfortunate fact that this condition never is is very minute.
of long duration. The surfaces which are cov-
A tuner's customers will often want to know
ered with the varnish undergo, in course of time,
the usual changes of molecular cohesion due to how they may best keep the varnished surface
the absorption and evaporation of moisture. of their pianos in good condition. One of the
Now, such a condition cannot exist on these sur- most frequent causes of complaint against piano
faces without seriously affecting the varnish; cases is the cloudy bluish scum which forms on
for the latter, adhering closely to the wood, has the surface during very hot or cold weather.
no strength to resist this expansion and con- This can be removed by washing off the varnish
traction of the fiber. Consequently, when the with a clean sponge and then drying with a
wood shrinks, the varnish is pulled along with it chamois leather. After this process the surface
and its surface breaks up into numerous small will be clean, and a luster may there be im-
squares like those of a checkerboard. This is parted simply by using a good polish ap-
plied with cheesecloth.
what we call "checking."
I have sometimes seen old badly checked
Every one who has occasion to deal with ebonized piano cases restored by French polish-
pianos has noticed this kind of thing, which ing. This may often successfully be done when
so rapidly operates to spoil the appearance of it is not worth while to scrape and revarnish
the finest instruments. Methods for remedying the entire case. No one, however, should under-
the evil effects of varnish checking are to be take French polishing without experience.
found, fortunately, without great trouble. Of
I also once saw a polisher in a factory rub
course, if the checking has gone very far nothing
down
some panels which had become checked
can be done except to apply new varnish. To
scrape and revarnish a case is a task not to be with a very large pad made of 3-inch thick
undertaken by any but an expert, and when this merino felt, using rotten stone only. It seemed
sort of work is required the best place for the to work very well.
piano is a factory.
Communications for this department should be
When, however, the checking is slight, it is addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
often possible to get rid of it by rubbing down The Music Trade Review.
the surface. This should be done generally as
follows: Wash off the surface to be treated, take
a pad made of a block of wood cut to fit the
hand and about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, And Edited for the Benefit of Review Readers.
with a piece of coarse rubbing felt fitted to it.
Wet the pad, dip it into a box of powdered pum-
EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL MECHANISMS. Issued to
ice stone, and rub over the surface back and Ebenezer Wilson, of Findlay, O., July 23, 1907.
forth in a direction at right angles to the check- Application filed February 19, 1906. Patent No.
ing. Be very careful not to rub through the 860,890.
varnish anywhere.
The invention refers to means for teaching
When you have taken down as much as possi- music through the medium of an indicator de-
ble of the checking, wash off the pumice stone. signed to be used in connection with a staff and
Then proceed the same way as before, using capable of being moved about thereon. One of
rotten stone with a similar pad covered with the features of the indicator is that when it is
finest felt. You will find that the pumice stone placed upon the staff in position to indicate a
has left a multitude of very fine scratches on the certain cadence, then each movement of the in-
surface. Rub with the rotten stone at first cross- dicator, either up or down, produces different ca-
wise and then lengthwise of the surface, always dences. The inventor claims:
remembering that crosswise rubbing takes out
1. A device of the character described, compris-
lengthwise scratches and vice versa. Keep the ing a board having a face member and a back
pads well wetted at all times.
member, with intervening vertical spaces there-
When you can effect no further improvement, between, opening out through the top and bottom
wash off the rotten stone and then polish with edges thereof and mechanical musical characters
the palm of the hand, moistening the latter having their stems effective for insertion into
from time to time with the rotten stone pad. In said vertical spaces for the projection of their
this way the luster will gradually be brought opposite end portions beyond said bottom and
back on to the surface, which will then be ready top edges.
to be oiled off, after being washed as usual and
A contrivance for objectively teaching rudi-
dried.
mentary music comprising a board with the mu-
The oil or polish (lemon oil is excellent diluted sical staff thereon.
with turpentine) should be applied with a wad
PIPE ORGAN MECHANISMS. Issued to Charles H.
of cheesecloth and then wiped off with another Haskell, deceased, through Ruth C. Haskell, of
piece slightly moistened with alcohol.
Philadelphia, Pa., July 23, 1907. Application
Bruises on piano cases may be remedied in the filed October 16, 1905.
following manner: Take a piece of shellac in
The invention relates to pneumatic couplers
stick form and melt this drop by drop with a for use in connection with multi-clavier pipe or-
heated palette knife or small alcohol lamp. The gans, and is designed to permit of more compre-
melted shellac can thus be gradually deposited hensive coupling arrangements between the vari-
in the bruise until the latter is filled up. Then ous claviers, together with economy of space.
clean off the edges, rub down with pumice stone
PIANO-PLAYING MECHANISMS. Issued to James
and rotten stone and polish in the usual way. Carruthers, of Newark, N. J., July 23, 1907. Ap-
Sometimes it may be necessary to touch up the plication filed March 9, 1907. Patent No. 860,851.
The invention relates to improved construction
of striker-pneumatics for player-pianos, and re-
DEPARTMENT OF
fers particularly to the actuating connection be-
tween pneumatic and piano action. The latter
is so devised as to permit of very close regula-
University School of Music
tion. There is also a special valve construction.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
Coiled springs are used on the secondary valve
O P E N S
S E P T E M B E R
23, 1907
spindles.
ON VARNISH AND VARNISH REPAIRING.
LATEST PATENTS ANALYZED
Piano and Organ Tuning
13
PIANO-PLAYING MECHANISMS. Issued to Geo.
H. Davis, of West Orange, N. J., July 23, 1907.
Application filed January 19, 1907. Patent No.
860,965.
The invention has to do with spools for per-
forated music rolls, and is the latest attempt at
designing a roll-spool which shall compensate for
the variations in width of the paper caused by
atmospheric changes. The spool is made in three
sections, the end flanges being carried by the
two outer sections. The middle section carries
a screw which passes through it, and which also
engages in threaded holes in the two outer sec-
tions. Either one of the outer sections may thus
be adjusted independently.
DEATH OF
.. BECKER.
The Vice-President of the Vough Piano Co.
Passes Away After a Short Illness.
(Special to The Review.)
Waterloo, N. Y., July 29, 1907.
Chauncey L. Becker, vice-president of and a
large stockholder in the Vough Piano Co., died
last evening at 9 o'clock. He was ill all of last
week with acute indigestion, peritonitis setting
in on Saturday. It did not seem serious at first,
and it was not until Sunday morning that the
doctors thought his life in danger. He sank
very rapidly during the day, however, despite his
rugged constitution, and passed away before his
many friends realized that he was seriously ill.
Mr. Becker was a gentleman possessing many
charming traits of character, and was well known
throughout this part of the State. For years he
has been the Democratic leader of Seneca County,
and consequently a man of wide acquaintance
and influence. He was the proprietor of the Fay-
ette Mills of this village at the time of his death.
M. E. SCHOENING TO REMOVE.
M. E. Schoening, manufacturers' agent and im-
porter of musical merchandise at 369 Broadway,
who suffered only slight damage by water from
the fire in his building last week, is looking
around for a new location, and expects to be
comfortably installed in about a week. The fire
broke out in the basement and swept up the
elevator shaft. At the first alarm the fire patrol
took charge and covered all merchandise with
tarpaulins. This protected the reserve stock,
and the loss was cut down materially. An ad-
justment of the loss is now in progress.
"DISTINCTIVELY HIGH GRADE"
B6e CHRISTMAN
STUDIO GRAND
is the greatest success of the day.
It possesses a scale of rare even
ness, a tone 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:
869-873 East 137th St.
NEW
WABEROOMS:
YORK
35 Weat 14th St.