Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
These, no doubt, will be overcome, as
Chickering & Sons.
soon as we discover some substitute for
that in use at the present day.
PLENDID specimens of the piano
REVIEW—It may seem a commonplace
maker's art are being turned out to-
question, but an "expert's" opinion is al- day from the factory of Chickering &
ways valuable and liable to give "food for Sons, Boston—instruments that maintain
reflection:" — What constitutes a really a superiority whether estimated from the
"high grade" piano?
standpoints of tone, of scale, of action, of
MR. ZEIDLER—An instrument which has touch, of construction, or artistic designs
a scientifically correct scale, well put to- of cases. Chickering & Sons have spared
gether by the best skilled and thoroughly no outlay in the production of an artistic
trained workmen, with special attention instrument, and this has been appreciated
to the most minute details, the best and by the prominent dealers who value their
most serviceable material, fine action and high standard of excellence. For over half
tone regulation, thoroughly settled and a century the Chickering piano has been a
overhauled, with the general details well favorite, and during all these years its
carried out under competent supervision, reputation has increased, until to-day it is
is my definition of a high grade piano.
synonymous with all that is latest and best
REVIEW—Should there be any "individ- in the line of piano manufacturing. Their
uality " of tone sufficiently pronounced to latest styles can hardly be excelled. Such
be easily discernible by the competent instruments appeal to esthetic and artistic
instincts; they make trade. The excellent
critic, in all high grade instruments ?
MR. ZEIDLER—There certainly is a differ- demand which Chickering & Sons Co. are
ence, a distinction or individuality of tone, experiencing speaks eloquently for the in-
in all the better grade of pianos, more or telligence and discrimination of the music
less pronounced, but not easily discernible loving public.
by most critics.
REVIEW—Is the average " a r t i s t " — we
Death of Mrs. Stanton.
are referring to really competent perform-
ers on the piano—capable of judging of the
merits of a piano, and if not, who is ?
N Oct. 25th, Mrs. Stanton, mother-
MR. ZEIDLER—The average artist is a
in-law of V. Hugo Mathushek,
judge of tone, also of touch, but not of con- president of the Mathushek & Son Piano
struction, general workmanship or durabil- Co., died. Mrs. Stanton was a daughter
ity of an instrument, and therefore none of John Clark, one of the oldest historic
but a practical piano man is capable of piano makers of New York. He was a
thoroughly judging the merits or demerits member of the firm of Nunns & Clark and
came to America in 1820. There are four
of a piano in general.
members of the old piano maker's family
REVIEW—What, to your way of thinking,
Mr. Zeidler, is one of the most important still living, two sons and two daughters.
matters for discussion among piano manu- Mrs. Stanton was a lady of great force of
facturers, relative to the improvement and character, and she has always been a warm
supporter of Mr. Mathushek in his business
solidification of the piano industry ?
enterprises.
MR. ZEIDLER—This question, Mr. Editor,
would seem, at a cursory glance, to open up
the whole "trade question." Matters af-
Pratt, Read & Co.
fecting differences in construction, im-
provement, etc., can well be left to take
DISTINGUISHED firm whose wares
care of themselves. Competition, the de-
have at all times been noted for ex-
sire to excel, to outstrip competitors in the cellence and reliability, are Pratt, Read &
race for scientific perfection, will regulate Co., of Deep River, Conn.
Although
them. The trade question/^r se, including, probably one of the oldest firms in Connec-
as it does, the relations of the manufac- ticut devoted to the production of piano
turer to dealer or middleman, the credit and organ keys, reeds, reed boards and
question, consignments, installment sales, couplers, they have always made it a
etc., must find its solution, sooner or later, point to be at all times ready to satisfy
on a strictly commercial basis, and this fact the requirements of their customers.
must be recognized before an actual im- Pratt, Reed & Co. 's facilities are such that
provement and solidification of the piano they are able to carry on a business of im-
industry can be accomplished.
mense proportions. "Good wine needs no
bush" and it is hardly necessary to speak
of
the standing of the members of this
The " Symphony."
noted house, or the high reputation of their
N instrument which has become thor- wares.
oughly installed among leading
houses in the country is the " Symphony,"
The Trade Directory, which is a feature
made by the Wilcox & White Co. of Meri- of The Review each month, is complete. In
den, Conn. There has been a steady de- it appears the names and addresses of all
mand for this admirable instrument in the firms engaged in the manufacture of musical
homes of all who enjoy music, and despite instruments and the allied trades. The Re-
the dullness for the past six months trade view now is sent to the United States Con-
has been fair. Now that election is over sulates throughout the world, and is on file
the demand for it will be larger than ever in the reading rooms of the principal hotels
this fall and winter.
in America.
S
O
A
A
The Emerson Piano Co.
BOSTON, Oct. 30,
1896.
P
LEASE take notice that the under-
signed, Trustees of the Emerson
Piano Co., at the request of all the creditors,
parties to the original deed of trust, have
this day released all their property to said
Emerson Piano Co., free and discharged of
any trust, and that the business of said com-
pany will be in future managed entirely by
said company, and that the trustees have
no further responsibility in the matter.
CHARLES TORREV,
JAMES F. POWERS,
JESSE F. WHEELER.
About Veneers.
W
HILE the finer and thinner veneer of
costly woods are sliced tangentially
from the side of the log, there are woods
that cannot be cut this way—no amount of
boiling or steaming rendering it possible to
cut them without breaking down the tissues
to such an extent as to destroy their sur-
faces for polishing—while others, becom-
ing discolored from steaming or boiling,
and being too hard to cut otherwise, have
to be sawn. The fine-toothed, thin gauge
circular, with flanged center, is the favor-
ite for cutting all ordinary veneers thicker
than thirty to the inch; twenty to the inch
is the thickness most commonly used for
cabinet work and finishing, but much
thinner is used in the case of rare and cost-
ly woods, or rare abnormal figures, as in
the case of burls, says the London "Piano,
Organ, and
Music Trades Journal."
Some woods have to be cut much thicker,
being unable to bear handling when too
thin; genuine ebony, the only fine, really
jet-black wood known, and large enough to
be of any use, will not stand sawing much
below one-fourth of an inch in thickness,
owing to its extreme brittleness or want of
cohesion; but there are other woods that
can be cut as thin as writing-paper, and still
be handled in large sheets. Other woods
there are that will lose their fine color on
exposure to the atmosphere, especially a
smoky one; these are cut only when im-
mediately wanted, and are kept covered
until the finishers can put on a protective
coat of some preparation.
Thieves Secure a Valuable Violin
P
ROF. EDWARD MOLLENHAUER'S
violin, aGuarnerius, which he valued
at $3,000, but which cannot be replaced
for money, has been stolen from his office
at the International College of Music, at 26
East Forty-second street.
Mr. Mollenhauer is almost seventy years
old. The violin had been in his possession
for sixteen years. When he played it be-
fore the King of Belgium ten years ago
the latter presented him with a diamond-
studded bow, which was in the same case
with the instrument, and was also stolen.
The thief also took another violin valued
at $200. -