Music Trade Review

Music
Trade
Review -- © mbsi.org,
arcade-museum.com
-- digitized
support from namm.org
October
5 th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL
CRITIC AND
TRADE with
REVIEW.
nection with the wrest-plank, substantially as
shown, and for the purposes set forth.
4. A piano-action frame composed of horizontal
pieces, which support the trains of mechanism com-
posing the action, and which are secured to trans-
verse standards arranged at convenient distances
apart, and provided with upright projections, by
which they are secured to the wrest plauk of the
piano, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
5. A piano-action frame substantially such as
described, having a horizontal axis of oscillation in
front of the strings, and connected at convenient dis
tances apart with the wrest-plank by means of ad-
justing-screws, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
6. In combination with a piano-action frame sub-
stantially such as described, the vertical screws P,
for effecting the vertical adjustment of the frame,
substantially as described.
7. The Hanged traverses B, constructed substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. The transverse plates the reception of the traverses B, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
9. The combination, in a piano-action frame for
upright pianos, of segments or spheres at the lower
ends of the standards A witli vertical adjusting-
screws, in and upon the heads of whieh'the standards
are suppor ed and may oscillate, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
goods, for they make a gain in concentrating the
tone of their instruments, where all the other
exhibitors make a positive loss by placing their in-
struments in open spaces.
PEDAL FEET TROUBLES.
E. WILSON, of Boston, is on the war path on
account of the sale in Boston by A. Ham-
macher & Co., of New York, of Ulmann's Patent
Pedal Feet. Mr. Wilson claims to have the exclu-
sive right to sell these feet in Boston, and has had
trouble with Chickering & Sons for infringing.
That was what led Mr. George W. Neill, of Chick-
ering & Sons, to patent a pedal foot for his firm
about a year and a half ago. Messrs. Hammacher
& Co. have a right to sell the Ulrnann Pedal Foot
throughout the country, it being understood, how-
ever, that Boston was properly protected for Mr.
Wilson. It seems, however, it was not, for, in the
first place Mr. Wilson had refused to pay the stipu-
lated royalty to Mr. Ulmann, and had, moreover,
neglected to make proper record of his rights at
Washington. In the meantime Messrs. Ham-
macher & Co. having recorded their rights in the
matter find themselves at liberty to sell in Boston,
and are doing it too, with a will, at about one-half
the price that Mr. Wilson asks. It is generally
thought that Mr. Wilson is trying to bluff the
Boston piano trade.
M
BOSTON TRADE
THE IVERS 8c POND PIANO 00.
HP HIS firm is just completing its new factory at
JL Cambridgeport, on the Grand Junction Rail-
road, near Mason & Hamlin's organ factory. The
THE FAIRS.
building will be of brick, and comprise four stories
~y OSTON deserves to be congratulated upon her and a basement. Sufficient ground will be con-
) fairs. Either the "Mechanics," or the trolled about the factory to admit of extensive ad-
"NewEngland," might well bring the blush of ditions when they become necessary. The build-
shame to the cheek of a New Yorker as he remembers ing will probably be occupied about the first of
that abortive effort of his own town—the " Ameri- next year.
can Institute Fair," held annually in a building on Mr. Handel Pond remarked to our Boston repre-
Third avenue that closely resembles a coal shed.
sentative that trade was in a good condition in
It is probably true that the older institution in Boston. All the piano-makers' stocks seem to be
Boston-—"the Mechanics"—would never have low, for the months of July and August saw a
provided itself with the present handsome build- heavy demand for pianos. He also spoke enthusi-
ing, and would have made few other progressive astically of the solidity and good standing of most
efforts if it had not been for the enterprise of its Boston piano manufacturers. Their responsibility
rival. Now, both have magnificent buildings, and he thought attracted many dealers from all over
are putting forth their best efforts to meet the the country to Boston. Labor was higher he
wants and expectations of the public.
thought than in New York, but manufacturers got
We have already given some account of the a better class of men for the money. Just now
musical instrument exhibitions in both buildings. there is no rush of business, but it is moving
At the " Mechanics" the piano and organ depart- steadily and solidly. There is a continually in-
ment is poorly placed, the various spaces being creasing demand for the best class of instruments,
huddled together so that there is little opportunity botli from dealers and the retail trade. The Ivers
for individual display. The best general show of & Pond Piano Company has lately devised a
musical instruments is made in the New England music desk for the upright piano, which is one of
fair, but in both buildings the noise of machinery the simplest, neatest and most effective contriv-
interferes with the proper exhibition of the instru- ances of the kind yet invented. On another page
ments by accomplished performers.
are shown two new styles of upright pianos manu-
At the " Mechanics," the Mechanical Orguinette factured by the concern.
Co., New York city, has secured the best location
of any musical instrument concern, being on the
THE NEW ENGLAND ORGAN CO.
lower floor near the main entrance. Among the
other exhibitors who make fine displays in one or r T^HIS progressive concern is doing a particular-
the other of the fairs are Messrs. Woodward & JL ly good business. During August it shipped
Brown, Mason & Haialin, Chickering & Sons, the about 100 organs to foreign porta. They have just
Ivers & Pond Piano Co., A. M. McPhail & Co., Geo. brought out a number of new styles of cases which
Guild & Co., the Emerson Piano Co., the American have just been catalogued. They have on exhibi-
Automatic Organ Co., and Fairbanks & Co, (the tion a splendid specimen of their cathedral organ,
banjo makers), all of Boston; besides Haines Bros., the mate to which was purchased by one of the
of New York, J. Estey B. Shoninger & Co., of New Haven, Kranich & residence, through James Bellak, the celebrated
Bach, of New York, Stieff, of Baltimore, Scho- dealer in organs and pianos in Philadelphia. The
rnacker, of Philadelphia. Wilcox & White, of stop effects in this organ are all excellent, but the
Meriden, Conn., Decker Bros., of New York, "Baritone" stop produces one of the most pleas-
Monroe Organ Beed Co., of Worcester, Mass., ing effects that we have ever heard in an instru-
Taylor & Farley, of Worcester, Taber, of Worces- ment of this class. We present a picture of the
ter, Decker & Son, of New York, etc., etc.
cathedral organ on another page.
One of the most effective displays is that made
by
C. C. BRIGGS 8c CO.
THE EMEESON PIANO CO.,
NE of the steadiest and most reliable piano
at the New England Fair. This Company has
manufacturing firms in Boston is C. C.
erected a handsome pavilion in a conspicious
place, and have placed their pianos in it". The Briggs & Co., 1125 Washington street, Boston.
pavilion stands separate from the other enclos- The head of the firm has been associated with
ures of exhibitors, is four-sided and has three en- many concerns in this city, part of the time as
trances, and a window at the back. The entrances foreman in the manufacturing part of the business,
are flanked at the outside by elegant standards and part of the time as a partner. Altogether he
supporting gaseliers. The interior of the pavilion has had twenty-five years experience, and we do
is decorated with rich carpets, hangings and fur- not know of a better place to get such experience
niture, so that there is every effect of a well-ap- than the city of Boston.
pointed drawing-room. Here stand several of the We found Mr. Briggs the other day revelling in
best specimens of the Emerson Piano Co. 's work- the fact, in common with many other Bostonians,
manship, enclosed in elaborately designed cases. that business had been exceptionally good during
A young man is constantly on hand in this pavilion the past two or three months. As Mr. Briggs
to exhibit the qualities of the pianos in the most makes a thoroughly good piano and does not put a
approved manner, and it is no exaggeration to say fancy price upon it, he deserves his rapidly in-
that this spot is one of the most frequented in the creasing trade. His pianos have this advantage,
building. The Emerson Piano Co. has shown that every one is carefully supervised by the head
great wisdom in making this exhibition of its of the house. Mr. Briggs has recently brought
I
O
out a very handsome grand upright, finished in
the most approved style, besides having a power-
ful tone combined with a sweetness that is rarely
met with.
SMITH AMERICAN ORGAN CO.
HIS firm is entitled to the prize for the richest
and most artistic catalogues that we have
seen produced this season. They received large
orders from Manchester and London in August
which are not yet filled. They are shipping as
rapidly as possible to foreign ports, and are send-
ing nearly one hundred organs a month to Eng-
land alone. Their Kansas City establishment has
proved an immense success, and they are sending
about one hundred organs a month to that point.
Their Australian trade, we are informed, is as
large as any two of the largest organ houses in this
country combined. In Africa they are having an
enormous trade considering the small tract of
country that can be covered, and the fact that
there are only four ports of entry.
T
OTHER BOSTON NEWS.
R. JOHN RYAN, auctioneer and commission
merchant, and agent for Kranich & Bach's
and Weber & Co.'s pianos, and William Bell &
Co. 's organs, in the town of Three Rivers, Canada,
was in Boston last week. Our reporter met him
studying up the merits of the Woodward & Brown
piano.
Messrs. Mason & Hamlin are still experimenting
with a view to engaging in the manufacture of
pianos, although thus far, the results of these ex-
periments have not been up to their expectations.
Mr. Frank Carter, of George Woods & Co., com-
mitted suicide recently by cutting his throat. Mr.
Belknap, bookkeeper for Guild, Church & Co.,
who last spring was reported to have died from
spinal meningitis, in reality committed suicide by
shooting himself.
The New England Piano Co. is steadily pushing
ahead, and during one week lately received orders
for twelve pianos.
Gustav Satter, we understand, has forsworn his
allegiance to the Emerson Grand, and has gone
over horse, foot and artillery to the Miller cohorts.
He is to play for the future (until he changes his
mind) on the Miller Grand.
M
A BURST FROM EEATTY.
r p H E Hon. D-ead Beat-ty, of Washington, N. J.,
X has been developing extraordinary histrionic
talent in his account, (published in circular form),
of the fire which destroyed his organ factory, as
may be seen from the following extracts from it:
"Unconscious that any great disaster was occur-
ring, I was with my secretary and his wife, re-
turning from Long Branch to the Fifth Avenue
Hotel for dinner." A long way to come for dinner
Daniel.
"The culmination of the fire fiends' work—the
total destruction of the great Jjuilding with thou-
sands of instruments and a million feet of costly
lumber." Don't be modest Daniel say millions.
" I said to him—It might have been worse—
my life." Here Daniel we must respectfully but
firmly enter our dissent.
'' The various incidents of the fire are fully
illustrated from the reception of the news at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel at New York to the completed
factory of which a correct view is given taken from
the rear." You mean from over the left, Daniel.
SHERMAN 8c HYDE VS. BENHAM.
THHE report given in last Saturday's issue of
JL this legal controversy was not altogether fair
towards Mr. Benham, as it mentioned only the
smaller and less important case.
The first suit was for $7,892, commissions
alleged to have been received from the well-known
piano manufacturer, J. P. Hale. This suit was
decided in Mr. Benham's favor. The other suit
was for $1,160, alleged to have been received from
other parties. The defense was the same in both
cases, knowledge and acquiesence on the part of the
plaintiffs. In the large case Judge Evans re-
marked that he decided the case for Benham
purely on the evidence oi the plaintiff, Hyde, who
swore that Benham acted as Hale's agent with
their full knowledge and consent. In deciding
the second aud smaller case Judge Evans did not
intimate in any manner that Benham's acts were
fraudulent, but there was no positive proof of
knowledge on the part of the plaintiffs, and hence
he found for them.—Chronicle, San Francisco.