Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-10-20

PianQfortss this article, thsre no less than
ten in the FAIR the aggregate value OF winch cannot
bad management of the committee, who have provt-
ded no one to exhibit these articles, we were only en-
abled TO examine and play upon very splendid grand
action pane which the label attached TO II told US
was made by1a Mr.. Van Wagner, at Paterson, New
Jersey beng the first manufactured IN that place.
Two three improvements in this piano, struck as
as beng important. In place Of the common un-
slightly iron plate on the top of the piano. Immediately
under the lid it has handsome eagle connected with
the strings; again, in this piano, the hampers con-
nected with pedal are raised on new and decided
y improved plan; they raise IN front, and TO all whe
are conversant with this pleasing instrument il will
be hardly necessary say that by the dampcrs being
raised in front, the touch is left the same as if the
hampers were down; and to our thinking, the tone
and touch of this instrument is the best we ever met
with.
There are thirteen or fourteen manufacturers of
pianos in this city, with joint capital Of not less
than one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, one
manufacturer having not less than twenty thousand
dollars invested in the business. There cannot DO
less than two hundred hands employed IN the busi-
ness in this city, whose weekly earnings average
each from twelve to twenty dollars. There are no
city sends annually TO the south and west, pianos 10
the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. Tho
value OF the pianos made annually in this city cannot
be less than two hundred thousand dollars The
wood employed in their manufacture comprises ma
hogany, zebra, rosewood, pine, maple and belly.
The steel wire used in the process of manufacturing
pianos is imported from Birmingham to the amount
of fifty thousand dollars worth annually. The ivory
which is also imported, is purchased by the MANS
facurers ready cut up for keys 1t is calculated that
not less than fifty thousand dollars worth of wood Of
various kinds is worked up annually into pianos In
each piano there is used up of ivory to the amount of
three dollars; iron plate three dollars, and steel wire
to the value of SIX dollars.
Organs.-There is one very excellent Jardlne, or
sefpaying church organ, i'll the fair, which Is the
first OF the kind ever made in this country although
It'll used extensively in England This description Of
organ is proper TO observe costs only half the mo-
ney required to build organ of corresponding size
and appearance made IN the usual way; Inc cost OF
this one is five hundred dollars; of the Others, one
thousand each. And this kind does away with all the
expense of an organst. The advantages of this OF
gam far examined il, are, that it is not liable
to get out oforder that il will play unlimited NUM-
Der of approved psalm tunes, chants, chorusses &C.,
without orgaRlst for any unenltlated person can
the and press the pedal by which the bel
lows are worked; and 1t has power and depth OF
tone equal any finger organ of corresponding SIZE
In this city there only manufacturers Oforgans
they have Joint capital of twenty thousand dollars
invested In the business, and employ about hfeen
hands whose average weekly earnings amount 10
nine dollars per week. There three manufactur-
in Boston, with joint capital of ninety thousand
dollars, and these three employ about twenty-five
hands. There are two organ manufacturers IN Phla-
dephia with capital ofthiry thousand dollars who
employ fifteen hands.
These comprise all that we know of in the United
States. In New York there are manufactured anna
ally about large church organs, of the value of ve
thousand dollars each, and several small organs Of
the aggregate value Of eight thousand dollars. The
few organs that are imported are hardly worth men
toning; there none brought from England, and
only few small barrel organs brought over from
France and Germany, to the amount OF about twelve
hundred dollars annually.
When we consider the immense extent OF territory
owned and inhabited by the people of the United
States and the great number of places of worship IN
every part of the country, as compared with England,
ia sHrDrlsng that the latter cOuntYV should
far exceed this in the business of organ building In
the United States there are organ builders-in Eng
land there are 10 and they have capital invested IN
the business TO the amount OF more than million of
dollars annually. In London there are principal
large organ builders, and one in Manchester each Of
whom cannot have less capital than enc hundred
thousand dollars. And there are throughout the
country over fifty manufacturers of smaller organs,
who have each capital Of from three to five thousand
dollars. In London alone there is over half mil
lion Of dollars invested in the business. Every
city in the country has more organ builders.
There are about 200 hands employed in the business
in London, and about the same number in various
parts OF the country.
Birmingham and York have the largest and,bestor-
gans In the world, each of which cost about twenty
five thousand dollars. The one is in the New Town
Hail. the other in York Minister. Worcester Gloster
Hereford, Norwich, Durham Canterbury, Salisbury,
and in short every cathedral city in the country has
an organ worth eight or ten thousand dollars There
are besides two thousand large organs in the country
worth five thousand dollars each, and upwards and
at least five thousand Of smaller dimensions varying
in value, from FIVE hundred to five thousand dollars
Book Binding.-There several splendid specimens
Of binding in the fair but the most beautiful we saw
two large account books bound, one for the At
lantc Bank and one for the Long Island Bank; and
some superb specimens Of fancy binding in case i'm
mediately opposite One book, 4th volume of the
Republic Of Letters, two volumes bound in one, 10
allowed to be the most splendid article of binding
ever seen in this city; the design is novel, and the
ecuticn superior to any thing ever exhibited; il ID
bound in green morocco and is inlaid with morocco
and colorsd calf. 1t is lined with lutestring, and
lunches of flowers and festoons on the fly leaf;
all the ornamental work, we observed on close in
spection has been done by small gouges on the prn-
ciple Of engraving, the Same way that engraver
would execute his designs "copper" brass or steel !;
there also five other elegantly bound duodecimos
in the case and the whole be worth less than
one hundred dollars. They are credit to the city
and country and the workman whose productions
they are.
There about thirty employing book binders in
this city, with joint capital Of one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars; but the disproportlon between
them is very great house alone has thousand
dollars invested in book binding tools, and an entire
capital of twice that sum this is the binder for the
Bible Society, who employs about seventy men, and
hundred girls folders and stitchers; the Har-
pers have at one time employed over one hundred
girls in the binding Of novels and periodical litera-
iure Throughout the city there cannot be less