Music Trade Review
Issue: 1895 Vol. 21 N. 21 - Page 7
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Prize Piano Cases. .
RESULT OF THE COMPETITION INAUGURATED
BY THE HENRY F. MILLER & SONS PIANO CO.
P to a recent date there has been no de-
partment of piano manufacturing so
neglected as that of case making. This
order of things has changed, and fancy-
woods are largely used instead of ebony ex-
clusively, and new and attractive designs
are being turned out ever}' day by manu-
facturers, which add materially to the value
of a piano as an artistic piece of furniture
apart from its musical qualities. The
Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Co., Boston,
U
FIRST PRIZE.
A. 1i. LE BOUTILLIER.
have been warm advocates of improved
case structure, and their Colonial style up-
right, as well as the standard styles of that
house have received the most favorable
comments from architects, designers, and
all capable of valuing artistic and well-pro-
portioned piano cases.
In order to further stimulate an interest
in this subject, they recently offered prizes
through the "Brochure Series of Architec-
tural Illustrations," a Boston publication,
for the best design for the case of an up-
right piano. The object of this competi-
tion was not to secure designs for pianos
at the least possible cost, as is the object of
many competitions in design, but merely
to attract the attention of designers to this
special problem, and take one more step to-
A piano case presents, necessarily, but
restricted opportunity for design, and any
attempt at great novelty is apt to be dis-
astrous; if originality appears, it will be
in the smaller details.
There also exists the question of style,
which is determined largely by the charac-
ter of the room in which the piano is to be
placed, and yet, if the element of style is
forced too far, it prevents the use of the
design for any but one case.
THIRD PRIZE. J. C. GREEN.
Of the premiated designs, those placed
that has been practically prohibitory for all first and second are in distinct styles, the
but the richest clients architects have. The one having almost the character of Fran-
Miller piano factory has been equipped with cois I, the other being of the time of the
every facility for executing work from Empire. Both, however, are simple and
architects' special designs and within a
reasonable cost. The prizes have been
offered in the most liberal spirit, and while
a large number of the designs submitted
were unsatisfactory, they have been in-
structive, and their shortcomings will be
borne in mind in preparing the program of
another competition, with larger prizes,
which will shortly be announced in The
Brochure Series.
Seventy-five designs were submitted,
several of which arrived too late to be
entered. The drawings were very carefully
examined by the officers of the company,
DESIGN KY A. H . COX.
assisted by Mr. C. Howard Walker, and the
following awards were made:
could be placed in rooms of other styles of
First prize, $25, A. B. LeBoutillier,
architecture.
The first prize design is especially.com-
mended for the disposition of its ornament,
and the delicate but vigorous lines of the
bracket beneath the keyboard, or what is
technically called the "truss."
The design placed second has excellent
proportioning of panels and Empire orna-
ment in excellent relative scale, well dis-
posed.
The design placed third is a most direct
development of the requirements, and is a
very simple, practicable design, with good
proportions and lines.
DESIGN BY E. R. CLARK.
The three remaining designs published
Boston; second prize, $15, Edward F. were considered worthy of mention, each
Maher, Boston; third prize, $10, James C. in its own way. The Gothic design could
be made very rich and interesting with
Green, Brooklyn, N. Y.
panel
colored decoration. The upper por-
REPORT OF THE JURY.
tion is well proportioned, the lower portion
In judging the designs for piano cases,
somewhat too meagre. The Colonial de-
the element of economy, though recog- sign is interesting above the keyboard; the
nized, played but a small part in the deci- arches below the "trusses" are out of scale.
sion of the judges. The qualities which The Baroque design would depend for its
made the premiated designs superior to good or bad quality entirely upon the deli-
others, were those of refinement, beauty of cacy and skill with which the carving was
line, and of general proportions.
done. Both the Gothic and Baroque de-
signs could only be used in rooms of their
own respective styles.
•
t is
^
j • ^
I
SECOND PRIZE.
E. F. MAHER.
ward a better condition of things in the
piano business. The Henry F. Miller Co.
have for several years followed a policy
the results of which are seen in some of
their later designs. It has been the prac-
tice to turn special cases over to furniture
and cabinet makers,-entailing, an. expense
1.
IT
>.* ^
tr •"
•
$ $ •
;• •;
>
d
ij i i
H
•'••' ^ .
1
DESIGN BY E. B. WELLS.
• i
H. CONWAY, of Springfield, Mass., visited
New York last week, and left an order for
twenty-four pianos with Jacob Doll. Bus-
iness is brisk at the Doll factory, and the
orders on hand mean a steady running of
the factory right through the holidays.
ONE of the best half-tone portraits of W.
W. Kimball which has yet appeared, was
issued as a supplement to last week's In-
dicator.
........
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Prize Piano Cases. .
RESULT OF THE COMPETITION INAUGURATED
BY THE HENRY F. MILLER & SONS PIANO CO.
P to a recent date there has been no de-
partment of piano manufacturing so
neglected as that of case making. This
order of things has changed, and fancy-
woods are largely used instead of ebony ex-
clusively, and new and attractive designs
are being turned out ever}' day by manu-
facturers, which add materially to the value
of a piano as an artistic piece of furniture
apart from its musical qualities. The
Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Co., Boston,
U
FIRST PRIZE.
A. 1i. LE BOUTILLIER.
have been warm advocates of improved
case structure, and their Colonial style up-
right, as well as the standard styles of that
house have received the most favorable
comments from architects, designers, and
all capable of valuing artistic and well-pro-
portioned piano cases.
In order to further stimulate an interest
in this subject, they recently offered prizes
through the "Brochure Series of Architec-
tural Illustrations," a Boston publication,
for the best design for the case of an up-
right piano. The object of this competi-
tion was not to secure designs for pianos
at the least possible cost, as is the object of
many competitions in design, but merely
to attract the attention of designers to this
special problem, and take one more step to-
A piano case presents, necessarily, but
restricted opportunity for design, and any
attempt at great novelty is apt to be dis-
astrous; if originality appears, it will be
in the smaller details.
There also exists the question of style,
which is determined largely by the charac-
ter of the room in which the piano is to be
placed, and yet, if the element of style is
forced too far, it prevents the use of the
design for any but one case.
THIRD PRIZE. J. C. GREEN.
Of the premiated designs, those placed
that has been practically prohibitory for all first and second are in distinct styles, the
but the richest clients architects have. The one having almost the character of Fran-
Miller piano factory has been equipped with cois I, the other being of the time of the
every facility for executing work from Empire. Both, however, are simple and
architects' special designs and within a
reasonable cost. The prizes have been
offered in the most liberal spirit, and while
a large number of the designs submitted
were unsatisfactory, they have been in-
structive, and their shortcomings will be
borne in mind in preparing the program of
another competition, with larger prizes,
which will shortly be announced in The
Brochure Series.
Seventy-five designs were submitted,
several of which arrived too late to be
entered. The drawings were very carefully
examined by the officers of the company,
DESIGN KY A. H . COX.
assisted by Mr. C. Howard Walker, and the
following awards were made:
could be placed in rooms of other styles of
First prize, $25, A. B. LeBoutillier,
architecture.
The first prize design is especially.com-
mended for the disposition of its ornament,
and the delicate but vigorous lines of the
bracket beneath the keyboard, or what is
technically called the "truss."
The design placed second has excellent
proportioning of panels and Empire orna-
ment in excellent relative scale, well dis-
posed.
The design placed third is a most direct
development of the requirements, and is a
very simple, practicable design, with good
proportions and lines.
DESIGN BY E. R. CLARK.
The three remaining designs published
Boston; second prize, $15, Edward F. were considered worthy of mention, each
Maher, Boston; third prize, $10, James C. in its own way. The Gothic design could
be made very rich and interesting with
Green, Brooklyn, N. Y.
panel
colored decoration. The upper por-
REPORT OF THE JURY.
tion is well proportioned, the lower portion
In judging the designs for piano cases,
somewhat too meagre. The Colonial de-
the element of economy, though recog- sign is interesting above the keyboard; the
nized, played but a small part in the deci- arches below the "trusses" are out of scale.
sion of the judges. The qualities which The Baroque design would depend for its
made the premiated designs superior to good or bad quality entirely upon the deli-
others, were those of refinement, beauty of cacy and skill with which the carving was
line, and of general proportions.
done. Both the Gothic and Baroque de-
signs could only be used in rooms of their
own respective styles.
•
t is
^
j • ^
I
SECOND PRIZE.
E. F. MAHER.
ward a better condition of things in the
piano business. The Henry F. Miller Co.
have for several years followed a policy
the results of which are seen in some of
their later designs. It has been the prac-
tice to turn special cases over to furniture
and cabinet makers,-entailing, an. expense
1.
IT
>.* ^
tr •"
•
$ $ •
;• •;
>
d
ij i i
H
•'••' ^ .
1
DESIGN BY E. B. WELLS.
• i
H. CONWAY, of Springfield, Mass., visited
New York last week, and left an order for
twenty-four pianos with Jacob Doll. Bus-
iness is brisk at the Doll factory, and the
orders on hand mean a steady running of
the factory right through the holidays.
ONE of the best half-tone portraits of W.
W. Kimball which has yet appeared, was
issued as a supplement to last week's In-
dicator.
........
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