Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
CHICKERING & SONS' NEW HOME IN BOSTON.
Something Distinctive and Artistic Is the Beautiful New Building Formally Occupied This
Week by Chickering & Sons—Description of This New Retail Quarters Where a Mag-
nificent Line of Chickering Grand and Upright Pianos Is Displayed—Quaint Old Instru-
ments Shown—Victor Talking Machine Department a Feature of the Establishment.
(Special to The Review.)
scroll effects, is studded at intervals with small sil-
Boston, Mass., Nov. 4, 1912.
ver electroliers, white silver sconses in candle ef-
After having been away from the downtown sec- fect, project from the walls. At the rear, looking
ion of the city for a number of years, Chickering out into Mason street, are the offices, from which
& Sons to-day opened their new and beautiful ware- an uninterrupted view of the front of the ware-
rooms at 169 Tremont street. The old Colonial room may be had. At the left is a long stairway
style of architecture has been followed and the of easy ascent. This is covered with a carpet of
a r c h i t e c t s—Richard-
son, Barott & Richardson— r~
are to be congratulated on
the success of their work.
As intimated in last week's
issue of The Review, the
building, especially in its
exterior effect, is a return
to the old style of dwelling
house which was so dis-
tinctive a feature of that
part of Tremont street
''
^
facing. Boston Common a
generation or more ago. It
is one of the most striking
and attractive buildings on
that thoroughfare.
The front of the first
story is of white marble,
with one large window (not
a show window at all, in
the commercial sense) at
each side of the door, on
which is a large silver
nameplate with the one
word "Chickering" in black
enamel surrounded with
some scroll work, this being
an exact reproduction of the
name, as one remembers
it, on the old pianos made
by this house. On one side
of the door is the name of
the house, and on the other
"Established in 1823," both
in bronze lettering against
the white marble. Over the
entrance is suspended by
chains a teakwood sign
with the name of the house,
"Chickering & Sons, Div.
American Piano Co.," in
gold; also a lantern of
quaint design.
Four white pillars, in
part, give support to an ar-
tis'tic narrow balcony onto
which the second story win-
dows open. In this balcony,
as well as at both sides of
the main entrance, are low
boxes of shrubs which are
being used extensively now-
adays in the exterior adorn-
ment of downtown struc-
tures. The four remaining
stories of the building are
of old brick, with the sills
Chickering & Sons New Home.
and caps of the windows of
marble—all of which is in perfect harmony. silver green, and the balusters have the effect of
The Colonial idea is still further carried out in old mahogany.
the interior arrangement. The effect as one enters
The floor of the main wareroom is of teakwood,
is more in the nature of a large private hall rather which is secured by wooden pegs instead of nails
than a store. White is used extensively through- or screws. These pegs are similar to what were
out. There is a line of white pillars down the ieft formerly used in the flooring of ships and in old
and the panels on the right wall are divided by Italian furniture. The intention of the house is to
•pilasters. The ceiling, which has a few simple keep this first floor as free and open as possible, so
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
as to avoid the appearance of overcrowding. For
this reason there never will be more than a few of
the handsomest grands on exhibition here; but, to
lend contrast between the modern and the anti-
quated, there will be a harpsichord and a clavi-
chord as well as the old Harvard chapel pipe or-
gan, built in 1805, which came into the possession
of Chickering & Sons a number of years ago.
On the second floor there is a number of small
salesrooms. This floor may be reached by a mod-
ern equipped passenger elevator as well as by the
stairway. There also is an up-to-date freight ele-
vator. The basement will be given over to the Vic-
tor department.
The history, even in brief form, of the old Chick-
ering concern, is interesting to one who has fol-
lowed the fortunes of the best-known piano fac-
tories of the country. The first Chickering factory
was built in 1823 on the site of the present Registry
of Deeds in Tremont street. Later the house was
established in Washington street, near Summer
street. Another move was made in 1837 to 334
Washington street, and to-day the Chickering place
is a reminder of this old store, as well as of the
founder of the house. A fire in 1852 caused an-
other change of location, and then the present fac-
tory at the South End was erected by Jonas Chick-
ering, the location in those days being far out and
reached by traversing a shell road, with a coach
service running only once an hour.
These new retail warerooms of Chickering &
Sons will be in immediate charge of Charles H.
Eddy, who will divide his time between the retail
store and the factory. Acting as salesmen will be
E I. Humphrey, who has been with the Chickering
house for fifty-five years, and who is a recognized
authority in numerous departments of piano manu-
facturing; M. D. Williamson and F. P. Flanders,
both long with the Chickering warerooms. Ubert
Urquhart, lately with the Henry F. Miller & Sons
Co., will be at the head of the Victor department,
as well as an assistant to Mr. Eddy.
The return of Chickering & Sons to the retail
section of the city will doubtless mark the begin-
ning of a new era in the history of the company.
In the old days the Chickering retail warerooms,
farther down toward Mason street, were the meet*
ing place of many musicians and music lovers, and
u is expected those days will be revived. Manager
Eddy emphasizes the fact that it will be strictly a
one-price house and conducted on the highest busi-
ness principles.
DEATH OF FRANK F. NORMAN.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., Nov. 5, 1912.
The Milwaukee piano trade was saddened re-
cently by the death of Frank F. Norman, a leading
piano salesman with Emil O. Schmidt, 310 Grand
avenue, and one of the rising and prominent young
violinists of this city. Mr. Norman had been in
ill health for several weeks and had been confined
to his home on the south side, but his death was
unexpected.
Mr. Norman was an enthusiastic supporter of
the Kranich & Bach and Seybold lines carried by
Mr. Schmidt and had achieved unusual success in
the sale of these instruments. The young man
was a musician of unusual attainment and played
first violin in Prof. Chris. Bach's well-known con-
cert orchestra. He was born and raised in this
city. Mr. Norman is survived by his young widow,
his parents and a sister.
NEW RETAIL HOUSE IN STAMFORD.
The Homer Klock Piano Co. has been organ-
ized in Stamford, Conn., by Homer R. S. Klock,
formerly connected with a piano manufacturing
company of that city, and Fred A. Taff. The new
concern has opened warerooms at 115 Atlantic
street, Stamford.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos