Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JULY 1,
41
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1922
AUTOPIANO HAS UNUSUAL HISTORY OF GOOD SERVICE
Ten years ago, in 1912, Captain J. L. Bond
purchased an Autopiano for the recreation of his
company, which was then setting out to take over
Uncle Sam's Farthest North array post, located in
ment has ever heen subjected. I had been told
that no piano could stand the great changes in
temperature experienced in this, the most north-
ern army post in the world, where the thermom-
•Che Autopiano C o . ,
12th Ave, & 51st S t . ,
Hew Yoric City, H Y .
ot1irned
to me from your
U6 8 present condition.
Bespcotfuiiy yours.
. BOND,
u . S . Army.
#f
Lieut. Col. J. L. Bond's Letter of Praise for the Autopiano
Fort Gibbon, Alaska. Thus the instrument
started on a career of service which, it may be
safe to say, has not been equaled by any player-
One of the features of the recent opening of
piano ever manufactured.
For two years it remained at Fort Gibbon, with- the handsome new piano warerooms of the Baker-
standing a temperature averaging between fifty Flick Co., in Camden, N. J., was the special
and sixty degrees below zero, for daysand weeks
at a time. Not only this—the piano was moved
from building to building at the army post, so
that music could be supplied to men of the
company wherever they were congregated, for
dance or frolic.
So serviceable did the Autopiano perform at
Fort Gibbon that J. L. Bond, commanding officer
of that company, in 1913 wrote the following
letter to the Autopiano Co.:
"Gentlemen: In regard to the Autopiano pur-
chased by me for my company just before sailing
for Alaska, 1 wish to inform you of what a p'eas-
ure the Autopiano has been to the men of my
company. This instrument was placed in the
company amusement room, where the seventy-
five men of the company had access to it, and lias
stood a test to which perhaps no other instru-
eter stands between fifty and sjxty degrees be-
low zero for days at a time. During the Winter
I frequently had the piano moved from the
amusement room to the post gymnasium, where
it furnished the music for the dances. Notwith-
standing these frequent moves, the piano is in
splendid condition and is just as popular with the
men as the day we purchased it.
"The instrument which I purchased for my
personal use about the same time gives me the
greatest satisfaction. It is one of the sweetest
toned instruments I have ever heard.
"Very respectfully,
(Signed) "J. L. Bond, Captain 30th Infantry,
and Commanding Company A."
This letter, in itself, was a remarkable tribute
to the durability of this instrument. However,
it marked only the start of the adventurous ca-
reer which this piano has since had.
After two years in the Arctic the piano re-
turned with Capt. Bond and his company to Cal-
ifornia. It was then given a test in the other ex-
treme climate, being shipped to the army post
in the Panama Canal Zone. Here it served until
the outbreak of the World War, when it was
moved by its owner to the Government training
camp at Plattsburg, N. Y.
That was five years ago. It has since been
moved no less than five times, to various sec-
tions of this country, and at no time did its
mechanism go out of order and refuse to function
correctly.
The letter illustrating this article was written
by the now Lieut. Col. John L. Bond on visiting
the Autopiano factory for the purpose of hav-
ing his instrument overhauled generally—the first
repair and re-conditioning that has been done on
it for over ten years of constant service under
every climatic condition.
MALCOLM MUSIC HOUSE MOVES
FLINT, MICH., June 27.—The Malcolm Music
House, which for the past six years has been
located at 113 East Kearsley street, is now lo-
cated in attractive new quarters at West Kears-
ley and Buckingham streets. The main floor is
devoted to the display of talking machines, the
second floor to the display of pianos and the
basement has been turned over to the music
roll department.
ATTRACTIVE SHOWING OF DAVENPORT-TREACY LINE
The Baker-Flick Co. recently secured the sell-
ing franchise for the entire line of the Davenport-
Treacy pianos* and has arranged to push that
Davenport-Treacy Welte-Mignon (Licensee) Display at Baker-Flick Co. Store
Practical Piano Moving Supplies
Increase Selling Power
Get our new circular and prices
MOVERS SUPPLIES CO.,
Buckingham
Pa.
exhibit of the Davenport-Treacy Welte-Mignon
(Licensee) reproducing piano, which was featured
in a most attractive way and demonstrated for
the edification of many visitors attending the
opening. The accompanying illustration gives
an excellent idea of the character qf the exhibit.
line most aggressively throughout the Camden
territory.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.