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14
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
(Continued from page 11)
than this, the Winter percentage should be ad-
justed accordingly. Facts regarding the normal
Summer moisture content of the tuner's terri-
tory can be obtained from the nearest office of
the Weather Bureau.
A Simple Method
Now the way to set about equalizing the Sum-
mer and Winter moisture percentages in the
home is simple. If the tuner's client is an intel-
ligent person, possessing and cherishing a fine
piano, then there will be no difficulty in making
that person see the necessity for immediately
buying a small hygrometer, which can be hung
up like an aneroid barometer near the piano. This
will give correct readings at all times and the task
then will be to supply artificially during the
Winter the moisture ordinarily extracted without
restoration.
There are several ways of doing this. If the
heating is done by a hot-air furnace, the vapor-
pan of this should be kept constantly filled with
water. Should the result still be unsatisfactory,
the next step will be to place around the room
open vessels containing water, the evaporation of
which will charge the atmosphere to the proper
extent with moisture. The quantity needed can
soon be gauged by noting the reading of the
hygrometer.
That sounds all rather like a very elaborate
way of doing a very small thing. But in reality
there is nothing very elaborate about it, nor is
it, properly speaking, a small thing. It is a very
important thing, in fact, and one which requires
the most careful explanation. But once started
the process is very simple, and demands no more
than the ordinary care every tidy housewife is
always ready to give to her other treasures.
I owe the original idea of this method to my
excellent friend, Chastian O'Narrow, of Lima,
O., an eminent tuner, and a charter member of
the National Association.
Knocking Piano Polishes
Mr. Sharpes also asked me to tell him about a
good piano polish. I suppose there are good
piano polishes, and indeed I know there are. Such
polishes may be used by the professional piano
expert, but they in most cases should simply not
be used by the public.
In most cases they should not be used by the
public because the public will not take the neces-
sary precautions in their use. The public will
not take the trouble to wash off the piano before
polish is applied. The public will not learn to
touch up scratches after rubbing them down with
sandpaper and oil. The public, therefore, has no
business to meddle with polishes which can only
brighten up a surface already prepared.
It is a mistake to sell to the owners of pianos
a polish of any kind. If pianos need polishing
they should be polished by competent profes-
sionals.
A bar of castile soap, some warm water, a
sponge, a chamois leather and a piece of clean
cheesecloth will usually do all that any polish
can do, and do it better.
SPECIAL TONK ART GRAND
Instrument in White and Gold Made Especially
for Ralph Horton, of New York, for His New
Riverside Drive Home, Is Most Artistic
One of the most recent art pianos manufac-
tured by William Tonk & Bro., New York, is a
The Schumann Piano Co., of Rockford, Wis.,
has opened a branch store in Beloit, Wis., at 216
East Grand avenue, under the management of
E. H. Sullivan.
13, 1922
Horton, son of the president and an executive of
the Sheffield Farms Slawson Decker Co., New
York.
The case was treated so as to harmonize with
the decorations in the music room of Mr. Hor-
ton's palatial Riverside Drive home. At the
present time Win. Tonk & Bro. are working
on another handsome art grand for a very promi-
Tonk Art Grand in Music Room of Horton Residence
Tonk reproducing grand, the case of which is
decorated in white and gold and which may be
seen-in the accompanying illustration. This in-
strument was manufactured expressly for Ralph
nent New Yorker, who chose the Tonk piano
after careful inspection of several other promi-
nent makes. Many Tonk art grands are in
wealthy homes in this and other cities.
THE CELEBRATED
F&C
(FELTEN & GUILLEAUME)
IMPORTED
MUSIC WIRE
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS
GRIST FOR THE MILL
of the editor is always welcome. Make up your
little sacks and mail them to William Braid
White, care The Music Trade Review, 373
Fourth avenue, New York.
MAY
IS UNEXCELLED
The " F & C " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
of the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
CURE
EBUR€
RVICE
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER& CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.