Music Trade Review

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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
department stores, consolidations, the player-
piano and methods of marketing.
Part three deals exclusively with the men who
A New Work Entitled "Pianos and Their
Makers," Which Covers a Broader Field have made piano history in all countries of the
world.
Than Its Title Would Seem to Indicate.
In this section Mr. Dolge shows in an interesting
manner his personal experiences with piano men
We are in receipt of a copy of "Pianos and
since he first began his connection with trade af-
Their Makers," by Alfred Dolge.
fairs.
This is a volume of nearly 500 pages and con-
In this there are many side lights thrown upon
tains a history of the development of the piano-
forte and its ancestors from the earliest times the accomplishments of men prominently .identified
with the industry, which are new and entertaining,
down to the present.
and, without doubt, this section of the book will
The book is printed on heavy coated paper and
be most interesting to the men of the present day.
there are numerous inserts showing different types
In part four the influence of the great pianists
of instruments created by the various manufac-
of
the industry is covered in a comprehensive man-
turers which accentuate the interest in the volume.
ner ; also testimonials and their value.
There are 300 illustrations in the book, many of
Part five embraces associations, the trade press,
which show portraits of individuals, early pianistic
literature
upon the pianoforte.
creations, special art designs, as well as inven-
In the volume there is also a chapter upon the
tions tracing the pianoforte up to the grand in-
Trust's movements in 1892-97-99.
struments of our day,
The author was closely connected with their
Alfred Dolge has written as he has known the
movements, and this is the first public statement
trade for more than forty years, and he has com-
which has ever been made regarding his connec-
piled in a single volume a vast amount of matter
tion with the formation of the Trust which was
which will be valuable to the student and to the
advocated many years ago.
expert.
Alfred Dolge has given to the trade a volume
The circulation of such a volume will increase
which covers all of the departments of the indus-
vastly the fundamental knowledge of musico-in-
try, and as he was prominently identified witli
dustrial affairs.
piano making and head of a great supply house for
The volume can be read with interest and profit
many years, his writings will be viewed as pre-
by those who have any connection with music
senting the opinions of an expert.
trade affairs.
Without doubt the book will be found to be an
After dealing with the prototype of the piano-
extremely valuable one for reference by those in-
forte, Mr. Dolge then begins with the actual devol-
terested in the evolution of our music trade affairs.
opment of the pianoforte section one.
There has been no other volume which has been
In this section of the book there are shown illus-
published which covers the entire field as com-
trations of the early instruments and the actions
pletely.
used therein. .This section treats of the great
Therefore, it will be seen that as a reference
European makers, and leading American houses as
volume, the work will have great value.
well.
Here the author has presented a good deal of en-
DESIRES OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE
tertaining matter.
PRACTICAL ABILITY.
In part two he begins the commercial develop-
ment of the piano industry.
Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 12, 1911.
In this section there are various chapters on the Edward Lyman Bill. New York:
early makers, the commercial piano, the stencil.
My Dear Mr. Editor—I have been reading witli
great interest the leading article, "The Man and
the Job," and it has given many a reader food for
thought.
It is certainly lamentable that men of business
and inventive capabilities have to take a back seat
on account of not desiring to be a tool to the
crafty merchant or manufacturer, or because the
right job has not been found by the right man.
I have known several men who would be a credit
to themselves and would make good as manufac-
turers had they the capital to start for them-
selves.
In my own case I have nearly completed to be
More persons than you have
patented a great improvement to the piano action,
imagined do appreciate Jine
and I also intend to build pianos which will suc-
quality in a piano. A perman-
cessfully withstand the damaging damp climates of
the tropics, shores and mountains. After manu-
ent and lucrative business is
facturing in Switzerland I went to the tropics,
built up by catering to the re-
studying
the climatical influences on pianos and
quirements of people of musi-
organs. Fifteen years of experience in the tropics
cal taste; they make the
have taught me invaluable lessons.
standing of a piano store in
Reconstructing both organs and pianos, accord-
any community.
ing to the best means, observation had taught me
at a time when I saw instruments at their worst,
If you realize the truth of
1 <• 'so had the satisfaction, as well as the owner,
what we have said, you need
U> nuiice how well those pianos were holding their
the LAUTER PIANO, an
own against the climate.
artistic product that is made
il 'us cost me a large sum of money in travel-
to satisfy the discriminating.
ing, experimenting and general observation, and I
should like to apply my knowledge to reap some
benefit.
C'.uld you give me a suggestion? Respectfully
NEWARK
yours,
Swiss Piano Manufacturer.
NEW JERSEY
OPEN WAREROOMS IN ROCHESTER.
APPEARANCE OF DOLGE'S BOOK.
LAUTER CO.
Arthur A and William T. Pritchard, two well
known piano salesmen of Rochester, N. Y., have
opened piano warerooms in their residence, 45
North Washington s*reet, that city, where they
will handle the Adam Schaaf and De Rivas &
Harris pianos. They believe that the shoeing
of pianos in actual home environment will tend
to influence many sales.
11
FENIMORE COOPER'S PIANO-
Instrument Made by C. D. Pease, Ancestor of
the Present Heads of the Pease Piano Co.,
and Now in the Possession of a Coopers-
town, N. Y.. Music Dealer, Said t o Have
Been Owned Originally by Famous W r i t e r .
(Special to The Review.)
Cooperstown, N. Y., Aug. 14, 1911.
W. N. Potter believes that he has in his ware-
rooms in the Hewes block on Main street, a piano
that was originally owned by James Fenimore
Cooper. Mr. Potter is an expert on pianos and
knows the history of pretty nearly every piano
within a radius of ten miles, or maybe twenty.
He has had his eye upon this particular piano for
some time, and one day recently it fell into his
possession.
The piano, according to the record Mr. Potter has
of it, was manufactured in Cooperstown by C. D.
Pease, who conducted a factory in the building
now occupied by McCabe's blacksmith shop on
Pioneer street. The Pease Piano Co., now in the
fourth generation, manufacture pianos at Leggett
avenue and Cabot street, in New York City.
This piano was owned by James Fenimore Coo-
per before he built Otsego Hall, his home that
stood in the present Cooper grounds. When he
moved into the hall lie purchased a new piano and
this one was sold to Judge Stewart. It was after-
ward owned by Judge Brown, then by B. F. Jacobs,
of Milford, from whom it descended to Mrs. Lu-
ther, a daughter. M. Potter recently purchased it
of Mrs. Luther.
The piano is of six octaves, in a solid mahogany
frame of very plain design. The tone of it, while
not up to the modern piano, is very pleasing. Mr.
Potter is glad to show the old Cooper piano and
explain its history to any who are interested in
seeing a real relic of America's great novelist.
* # * *
Upon enquiry by the Pease Piano Co., it was
learned that the piano was numbered "7," and was
built in 1844. It was one of the first pianos made
by C. D. Pease, the first, with whom C. D. Pease, II.,
founder of the present company, learned his trade.
American Piano Wire!
That has a thoroughly homelike sound
to all Americans, has it not? And, in
this particular case it means an exalted
standard.
It is positive that the brands of piano
wire designated as the
" PERFECTED "
AND
" CROWN "
could not have won such distinction if the
merit was not there.
In this case it pays to follow the leaders
and it should be distinctly understood that
some of the most noted piano manufac-
turers in the world use American piano
wire in their instruments.
They realize that there is none better.
This wire is the result of tireless experi-
ments covering a period of many years;
and the forces back of it are never satis-
fied unless the highest results are attained.
American Steel & Wire Co.
Chicago
New York
Worcester
Denver
San Francisco
United States Steel Products Go.
Export Representative
30 Church St.. NEW YORK