Music Trade Review
Issue: 1887 Vol. 10 N. 15 - Page 1
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T S
Music Trade ReviEW.
The Only Music Trade Paper in America, and the Organ of the Music Trade of this Country,
Pounded
VOL. X. No. 15.
July,
1879.
$8.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 15 CENTS.
NEW YORK, MARCH 5 TO 20, 1887.
and perfectly equipped veneer factory in the country
at the foot of East 8th street, where millions of feet
of valuable imported woods are annually prepared for
market. The firm manufactures veneers under four
different processes—flat cut, half round cut, rotary
and with the saw. The wood is first steamed and
then placed in the cutting machines, where it is
sliced off as thin as wrapping paper, appearing like
long strips of brown cloth, so pliable is it in its
steamed condition. It is then ready for market, being
sold by the square foot. In some cases it is 6old bif
weight. There is no doubt but that a veneer well
cut is fully as good as a sawn veneer. Messrs. Cole
& Son carry in stock from two to three million feet
of all kinds of veneering and make a specialty of
piano and organ veneers. The firm is composed of
Mr. Isaac I. Cole and his eon George, who is an ex-
pert in fancy woods. These gentlemen are assisted
by Mr. H. O. Houghton, who is also an expert in
fancy woods and well known to the piano and organ
trade.
PUBLISHED * TWICE * EACH * MONTH.
BILL & CARR,
EDITORS AND PBOPBIETOKS.
All Checks, Drafts, Money Orders, Postal
Notes and mail matter should be
made to
BILL & CARR,
EDITORS & PBOPBIETOB«.
22 EAST 17th STREET, NEW YORE.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and Canada
$3.00 per year, in advance; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVKimHKMENTB, $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion;
unless inserted upon rates made by special contract.
Entered at the New York Pott Office as Second Class Matter.
A HIGHLY ESTEEMED ACTION
MANUFACTURER.
FIDDLE CHESTNUTS.
W
HEN OIo Bull, the renowned violinist, was
staying in Paris in 1840 he returned home
late one evening from a concert, and as the
night was cold he ordered his man to make a fire in
his room. The hitter dragged toward the fire-place
a huge box, on which the word "Firewood " was
painted in largo letters. In answer to Ole Bull's
astonished inquiry, the servant told him that thebox
had been delivered that day at noon by his master's
orders, as he thought. On being broken open the box
was found to contain twenty-two violins and the fol-
lowing letter: "Great Master: The undersigned,
being members of various amateur philharmonic
societies, hereby declare that they will henceforth
cease to perform on the accompanying instruments.
The same wood f om which Ole Bull can draw life,
love, sorrow, passion and melody is only to be re-
garded as—fuel for the flames in the hands of the
undersigned, who therefore request the maestro to
make an auto da-fe of the enclosures, and to look
upon the ascending smoke as incense offered to his
genius by penitent dabblers in the noble art." This
curious epistle bore the signatures of twenty-two
young men. Three days afterward Ole Bull gave a
dinner, to which he invited all the senders of the
valuable "firewood.' Each guest had lying before
him on the table one of the violins referred to, and
by its side a gold ring with the inscription " Solitude
and perseverance "—a piece of seasonable advice to
the faint-hearted dilettante, and a symbolic indica-
tion of the means by which the virtuoso himself had
attained to fame.—Rundschau.
M
VENEERS.
IS6AC I . COLE, THE PIONEEB VENEER CUTTER.
ENEERING is the art of laying thin leaves or
slices of superior kind of wood upon an infe-
rior, so as to give the whole the appear-
ance of the more valuable wood. Previous to 1842
shaved or cut veneering was comparatively unknown,
it being cut, up to that time, by the saw. We recent-
ly visited the veneer factory of Isaac I. Cole & Son,
for the purpose of learning how those beautiful im-
ported woods which adorn our homes in the form of
pianos, furniture, clocks, etc., were prepared for use.
Mr. Isaac I. Cole, an excellent cut of whom adorns
this page, is probably the oldest veneer cutter in the
trade, being in his seventieth year. About the year
1842 Mr. Cole invented the veneer cutting machine.
By the old process of sawing fully one-half of
the wood was wasted in sawdust, besides being a
very slow process, the speed being less than one ve-
neer per minute. To prevent this great waste in the
most expensive woods, Mr. Cole's ingenuity devised
the knife machine for slicing instead of sawing. This
first invention used to cut the veneering all around
NE of his most disastrous triumphs Paganini had the log, the slips thus cut leaving the log in long rib-
was when playing at Lord Holland's. Some bons. These veneers (mostly mahogany) were used
one asked him to improvise on the violin the for ogee picture frames and old Yankee clocks, but
story of a son who kills his father, runs away, be- as the mahogony logs were then imported as they
comes a highwayman, falls in love with a girl who are now, square in shape, there was still a great
will not listen to him, so he leads her t o a wild waste. Mr. Cole then invented the flat slicer, which
countcy site, suddenly jumping with her from a rock is the best device of the kind now in use. The first
into the abyss, where they disappear forever. He slicer made by Mr. Cole was a very crude but inter-
listened quietly, and when the story was at an end esting affair. It was set up in a barn at old Tappan,
he asked that all the lights should be extinguished. N. J., and with the muscular power of the John L.
He then began playing, and so terrible was the musi- Sullivan of that county was worked with a leven
cal interpretation of the idea which bad been given after having steamed the wood in a clothes-boiler.
him that several of the ladies fainted, and the saloD, Mr. Cole has since that time made many valuable
when relighted looked like a battle-field.—Musical improvements in his inventions,so that now any per-
Visitor.
sons interested in veneers can see the most complete
O
R. GEORGEBOTHNER, of 135&137Chrystie
Street, New York, is probably the oldest
manufacturer of grand, square and upright
pianoforte actions in this country. His business was
established in 1865, the firm name at that time being
Herter&Bothner. In the same year Mr. Bothner pur-
chased the entire interest in the concern, and has
from that time forward carried on the extensive bus-
iness without a partner, aided only by his sons. Mr.
Bothner's eldest son, George, Jr., having graduated
in every department of action making, is now of
great assistance to his father in conducting the great
and constantly growing business.
Many of the valuable machines used by Mr. Both-
ner are his own inventions, and can be found in no
other factory. There are separate machines for
making the different parts of the action, and it is
imperative that when these parts are put together,
they fit exactly. In this respect Mr. Bothner has
demonstrated his skill, and the reputation of the
Bothner action for perfection stands very high all
over the country.
Mr. Bothner's trade is by no means confined to the
United States, for, besides supplying many of the
leading manufacturers here, he furnishes nearly the
entire Canadian firms. We have yet to learn of any
house, after a trial, that is not perfectly satisfied with
quality and price of the Bothner action.
Mr. Bothner, like the actions he makes, is held
in high esteem by the entire music trade, and he has,
by his generosity and sterling business integrity,
gained a name which will long outlive him.
V
NEW YORK CITY is at present enjoying an unusual-
ly fine season of amusements, but, probably, no
more meritorious performance is given than that at
the Union Square Theatre. "Prince Karl," which
held the boards all last summer at the Madison
Square Theatre, is drawing crowded houses at the
cosy Union Square Theatre, and it bids fair to rival
" Erminie " in popularity. The play, a very clever
one, abounds in funny situations of a refined char-
auter. Mr. Richard K. Mansfield is without a doubt
one of the finest actors of his class on the American
stage, while the entire support given him is of the
very highest order; special praise, however, should,
be accorded to Mies Bessie Cameron.
T S
Music Trade ReviEW.
The Only Music Trade Paper in America, and the Organ of the Music Trade of this Country,
Pounded
VOL. X. No. 15.
July,
1879.
$8.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 15 CENTS.
NEW YORK, MARCH 5 TO 20, 1887.
and perfectly equipped veneer factory in the country
at the foot of East 8th street, where millions of feet
of valuable imported woods are annually prepared for
market. The firm manufactures veneers under four
different processes—flat cut, half round cut, rotary
and with the saw. The wood is first steamed and
then placed in the cutting machines, where it is
sliced off as thin as wrapping paper, appearing like
long strips of brown cloth, so pliable is it in its
steamed condition. It is then ready for market, being
sold by the square foot. In some cases it is 6old bif
weight. There is no doubt but that a veneer well
cut is fully as good as a sawn veneer. Messrs. Cole
& Son carry in stock from two to three million feet
of all kinds of veneering and make a specialty of
piano and organ veneers. The firm is composed of
Mr. Isaac I. Cole and his eon George, who is an ex-
pert in fancy woods. These gentlemen are assisted
by Mr. H. O. Houghton, who is also an expert in
fancy woods and well known to the piano and organ
trade.
PUBLISHED * TWICE * EACH * MONTH.
BILL & CARR,
EDITORS AND PBOPBIETOKS.
All Checks, Drafts, Money Orders, Postal
Notes and mail matter should be
made to
BILL & CARR,
EDITORS & PBOPBIETOB«.
22 EAST 17th STREET, NEW YORE.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and Canada
$3.00 per year, in advance; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVKimHKMENTB, $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion;
unless inserted upon rates made by special contract.
Entered at the New York Pott Office as Second Class Matter.
A HIGHLY ESTEEMED ACTION
MANUFACTURER.
FIDDLE CHESTNUTS.
W
HEN OIo Bull, the renowned violinist, was
staying in Paris in 1840 he returned home
late one evening from a concert, and as the
night was cold he ordered his man to make a fire in
his room. The hitter dragged toward the fire-place
a huge box, on which the word "Firewood " was
painted in largo letters. In answer to Ole Bull's
astonished inquiry, the servant told him that thebox
had been delivered that day at noon by his master's
orders, as he thought. On being broken open the box
was found to contain twenty-two violins and the fol-
lowing letter: "Great Master: The undersigned,
being members of various amateur philharmonic
societies, hereby declare that they will henceforth
cease to perform on the accompanying instruments.
The same wood f om which Ole Bull can draw life,
love, sorrow, passion and melody is only to be re-
garded as—fuel for the flames in the hands of the
undersigned, who therefore request the maestro to
make an auto da-fe of the enclosures, and to look
upon the ascending smoke as incense offered to his
genius by penitent dabblers in the noble art." This
curious epistle bore the signatures of twenty-two
young men. Three days afterward Ole Bull gave a
dinner, to which he invited all the senders of the
valuable "firewood.' Each guest had lying before
him on the table one of the violins referred to, and
by its side a gold ring with the inscription " Solitude
and perseverance "—a piece of seasonable advice to
the faint-hearted dilettante, and a symbolic indica-
tion of the means by which the virtuoso himself had
attained to fame.—Rundschau.
M
VENEERS.
IS6AC I . COLE, THE PIONEEB VENEER CUTTER.
ENEERING is the art of laying thin leaves or
slices of superior kind of wood upon an infe-
rior, so as to give the whole the appear-
ance of the more valuable wood. Previous to 1842
shaved or cut veneering was comparatively unknown,
it being cut, up to that time, by the saw. We recent-
ly visited the veneer factory of Isaac I. Cole & Son,
for the purpose of learning how those beautiful im-
ported woods which adorn our homes in the form of
pianos, furniture, clocks, etc., were prepared for use.
Mr. Isaac I. Cole, an excellent cut of whom adorns
this page, is probably the oldest veneer cutter in the
trade, being in his seventieth year. About the year
1842 Mr. Cole invented the veneer cutting machine.
By the old process of sawing fully one-half of
the wood was wasted in sawdust, besides being a
very slow process, the speed being less than one ve-
neer per minute. To prevent this great waste in the
most expensive woods, Mr. Cole's ingenuity devised
the knife machine for slicing instead of sawing. This
first invention used to cut the veneering all around
NE of his most disastrous triumphs Paganini had the log, the slips thus cut leaving the log in long rib-
was when playing at Lord Holland's. Some bons. These veneers (mostly mahogany) were used
one asked him to improvise on the violin the for ogee picture frames and old Yankee clocks, but
story of a son who kills his father, runs away, be- as the mahogony logs were then imported as they
comes a highwayman, falls in love with a girl who are now, square in shape, there was still a great
will not listen to him, so he leads her t o a wild waste. Mr. Cole then invented the flat slicer, which
countcy site, suddenly jumping with her from a rock is the best device of the kind now in use. The first
into the abyss, where they disappear forever. He slicer made by Mr. Cole was a very crude but inter-
listened quietly, and when the story was at an end esting affair. It was set up in a barn at old Tappan,
he asked that all the lights should be extinguished. N. J., and with the muscular power of the John L.
He then began playing, and so terrible was the musi- Sullivan of that county was worked with a leven
cal interpretation of the idea which bad been given after having steamed the wood in a clothes-boiler.
him that several of the ladies fainted, and the saloD, Mr. Cole has since that time made many valuable
when relighted looked like a battle-field.—Musical improvements in his inventions,so that now any per-
Visitor.
sons interested in veneers can see the most complete
O
R. GEORGEBOTHNER, of 135&137Chrystie
Street, New York, is probably the oldest
manufacturer of grand, square and upright
pianoforte actions in this country. His business was
established in 1865, the firm name at that time being
Herter&Bothner. In the same year Mr. Bothner pur-
chased the entire interest in the concern, and has
from that time forward carried on the extensive bus-
iness without a partner, aided only by his sons. Mr.
Bothner's eldest son, George, Jr., having graduated
in every department of action making, is now of
great assistance to his father in conducting the great
and constantly growing business.
Many of the valuable machines used by Mr. Both-
ner are his own inventions, and can be found in no
other factory. There are separate machines for
making the different parts of the action, and it is
imperative that when these parts are put together,
they fit exactly. In this respect Mr. Bothner has
demonstrated his skill, and the reputation of the
Bothner action for perfection stands very high all
over the country.
Mr. Bothner's trade is by no means confined to the
United States, for, besides supplying many of the
leading manufacturers here, he furnishes nearly the
entire Canadian firms. We have yet to learn of any
house, after a trial, that is not perfectly satisfied with
quality and price of the Bothner action.
Mr. Bothner, like the actions he makes, is held
in high esteem by the entire music trade, and he has,
by his generosity and sterling business integrity,
gained a name which will long outlive him.
V
NEW YORK CITY is at present enjoying an unusual-
ly fine season of amusements, but, probably, no
more meritorious performance is given than that at
the Union Square Theatre. "Prince Karl," which
held the boards all last summer at the Madison
Square Theatre, is drawing crowded houses at the
cosy Union Square Theatre, and it bids fair to rival
" Erminie " in popularity. The play, a very clever
one, abounds in funny situations of a refined char-
auter. Mr. Richard K. Mansfield is without a doubt
one of the finest actors of his class on the American
stage, while the entire support given him is of the
very highest order; special praise, however, should,
be accorded to Mies Bessie Cameron.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).