May 2, 1925.
17
PRESTO
INTERESTING BIT OF
PIANO ETHNOLOGY
Geneology of New York Piano Making Fam-
ily Is Traced Back to the Medieval
Days of Knighthood.
An artistically printed announcement, which came
to some members of the piano trade within the past
two weeks, reads as follows:
As one of the three artisans in our industry, we have
been requested to display our instruments at the Archi-
tectural and Allied Arts Exposition which is to be
held in Grand Central Palace. New York, April 20 to
May 2, 1925, inclusive, under the auspices of the Ameri-
can Institute of Architects and the Architectural League
of New York.
Accordingly we will have a few pianofortes on dis-
play in exclusive case designs and representing the lat-
est developments in scientific, physical and acoustical
research in tone production.
On the main floor, exhibit number one hundred and
fifty-four, our attendants will explain the many novel
and patented features of our product, which represents
the culmination of four hundred years of endeavor in
the musical arts.
Cordially yours,
PAUL G. MEHLIN SONS.
The statements contained in that little page sug-
gest an ethnologic antiquity for one of America's
piano industries of more than ordinary interest. Con-
sequently, the attention of the Mehlin house was
drawn to some cryptic passages in the circular with
the result that Charles Mehlin, one of the brothers
concerned in the New York instrument, presented to
Presto the following explanatory statement:
"In reference to our statement of '400 years of en-
deavor in the musical arts,' would say that this is
founded on the fact that in the 14th Century, Urbannus
Lentulus, the progenitor of the Mehlin family in Rome
was a Knight and a musician, the escutcheon which ap-
pears on the fallboard of our pianos with its motto
'Festina Lente,' meaning 'Make Haste Slowly,' is still
to be found on the door of an old Bishop's palace in
Rome. The name was changed to its German equivalent
Gmehlin, subsequently Mehlin when this Knight became
identified with Germanic life.
"William Mehlin, 1573 to 1635, was a Special Super-
intendent; John Wilhelm, 1606 to 1634, a Collaborator;
Jfife Onduring*
™' fflardman
The ^Hardman £me
is a complete line
It comprises a range of artisti-
cally worthy instruments to
please practically every purse:
The Hardman, official piano of
the Metropolitan Opera House;
the Harrington and the Hensel
Pianos in which is found that in-
builtdurabilitythatcharacterizes
all Hardman-made instruments;
the wonderful Hardman Repro-
ducing Piano; the Hardman
Autotone (the perfect player-
piano); and the popular Playo-
tone.
c
NEW YORK.
Samuel, 1611-1676, a Special Superintendent; Johann
Wilhelm, 1602-1635, a Priest, and so on down the line
through Commissioners, Pedagogues, Priests, Physicians,
and so forth. Philipp Frederick, 1721-1768, was a pro-
fessor of Physics and a musician of note, greatly inter-
ested in the manufacture of musical instruments. Johann
Frederick, 1748 to 1804, a Professor of Physics, also
followed this line. Ferdinand, 1782-1848, also a Pro- George W. Allen as President and Other Offi-
fessor of Physics, made musical instruments and spin-
cers Chosen Unanimously at Annual Meet-
nets. Gottlieb Bernhardt, 1804-1847, made pianos, as did
ing at National Republican Club.
Paul G. Mehlin, 1837-1917, and so forth.
"The whole geneology of the Mehlin family was com-
George W. Allen, president of the Milton Piano
pleted by a Priest in Germany some 100 years ago and Co., was elected president of the New York Piano
published, giving the dates of birth, profession, achieve- Manufacturers' Association at a meeting held last
ments and so forth, and death of each successive gener-
week at the National Republican Club, 105 West
ation, and is extremely interesting."
There are, of course, piano men, necessarily much Fortieth street. Other officers elected were : Charles
older than Mr. Mehlin, who can remember well the J. Votey, Aeolian Co., first vice-president; Louis
beginning of the piano that bears the name. It was Roemer, Cable & Sons, second vice-president; Albert
established by the late Paul Gmehlin who, as he ex- Behning, secretary and treasurer.
The following were named as the executive com-
plained at the time, for simplification sake and easier
nomenclature, severed the first letter of his surname mittee: T. L. Floyd-Jones, W. P. Haines & Co.;
and adopted it for his "middle name." Consequently, William H. Keating, Weser Bros.; Ashley B. Cone,
the present day explanation, by the grandson of the Hardman, Peck & Co., and William Heller, Winter
founder of the piano, possesses a new interest in & Co. All the elections were unanimous.
Mr. Behning presented his report as secretary and
that Paul Gmehlin must have reclaimed the original
family name and retained it after he came to this also that as treasurer. The former was an interesting
country. It is doubly interesting, also, to know that summary of the year's activities. The treasury report
the sturdy piano expert had been knighted before was short in words, but told of a satisfactory balance
immigrating to New York, where he began his piano to the credit of the association. Commissioner E. M.
development in America as an employe of the old Reulbach also presented a report.
An enlightening address was made by Richard W.
house of Raven & Bacon.
Lawrence, president of the Music Industries Cham-
What Charles Mehlin now says forms an interest- ber of Commerce who spoke about the influence of
ing contribution to the history of the piano. The radio in the music trade and the resultant conditions.
original piano maker of the name came to this coun- Mr. Lawrence also discussed the "installment dollar."
try in 1853 and the present industry of Mehlin &
Sons was established in 1889, The Mehlin pianos are
Donahoe & Donahoe, music dealers of Fort Dodge,
admirable ones.
Iowa, moved from 907 to 917 Central avenue. A new
store front has been installed in the new quarters,
which has 5750 square feet of floor space.
NEW YORK PIANO MFRS.
ASS'N HOLDS ELECTION
OWNER OF OLD LESTER
PROUD OF HER PIANO
Instrument Bought in 1889 in Lancaster, Pa.,
Still Retains Its Admirable Qualities of
Tone and Construction.
A letter from a Michigan owner of an old Lester
piano, to the Lester Piano Co., Philadelphia, is an-
other convincing proof of the durability and admir-
able time-defying tonal qualities of the instrument.
The J. H. Troup Music House, Lancaster, Pa., re-
cently ran a special advertisement in a supplement of
the Daily Intelligencer of that city, which Mrs.
Shelito, an old Lancaster resident living in Detroit,
saw, and of her own accord wrote the following let-
ter to the Lester Piano Co.:
130 Kitchner St., Detroit, Mich.
April 16, 1925.
Lester Piano Company,
Philadelphia, Penna.
Gentlemen:
I am a subscriber to the Daily Intelligencer, and
Lancaster is my home town.
I thought I would write you about my Lester piano
that I bought of Kirk Johnson in 1889. After 36
years of use, can honestly say it still retains the
sweetness in tone, and every man that tunes the piano
can scarcely believe it when I tell them the age of it.
They say you will never get another piano that will
stand up like this one, and the case has never lost its
finish—it is just as bright as the day I bought it.
Of course, the piano has had very good care, and
when I buy another piano, it certainly will be a
Lester. Too much cannot be said about the Lester
piano.
It pleased me to read how it started in a small
room with only four pianos made the first year, and
how it has grown and spread out over the country
and to foreign lands, and you will keep on growing
if you continue to make pianos like mine, but here we
don't hear of the Lester.
I could not keep from writing you and letting you
know I had one of your early made pianos which is
still in use.
Hoping you will still keep growing,
Yours respectfully,
MRS. IDA E. S H E L I T O .
W. P. Haines & Co,
Manufacturers of
BRADBURY, WEBSTER
and
W. P. HAINES & CO.
Grand, Upright and Reproducing
Pianos
138th Street and Walton Avenue
NEW YORK
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Orandt, Uprights and Players
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Upright* and Player Pianos
A high grade piano of great
value and with charming tone quality.
Livingston Pianos— Uprights and Player Piano*
A popular piano at a popular price.
Over 70.000 instruments made by this company are ling-
ing their own praises in all parts of the civilized world.
Write (or catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition if yen are
located in open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO., Inc.
Factory: YORK, P \ .
EatablSshod 1870
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHEWi BRANCH: 790 Gaudier B i d * , ATLANTA, GA
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/