Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-16
A WORD OF CAUTION TO
PURCHASERS.

THE GREAT REPUTATION OF
j tAe " srENwAT PIAsos," and the extensive
and ever increasing demand for them, have in
dneed upulous piano manufacturers and
dealers 70 adopt AL sorts OF dishonorabls devices
and expedients viii n they systematically follow
with a zeal and perseverance worthy OF a better
cause.
At one time these persons assert that these pi-
amos made or sold By them are the same as q Stein
Wayies a. another, that they are made by Stein
ways foreman, or best wOrE man, - and are just
good, etc and 80 widely have these misrepTe-
sensations been circulated that We continually
receiving letters from all parts of the country in
quiring into the t'uth of these asser tioDs, and
revealing the fact that most Of the smaller
makers in this city pretend TO have been fOremen
in our faTtOry, are represented such by their
Rztnts throughout the country, while in reality
not one in twenty Of them have been EN-
pliyed by US in any capacity. Up TO the present
time, not one Of our fUremtn has gone into busi-
ness for him.elf, and this fact alone is sufficient
refHtation of the false assertions TO which have
alluded.
Again it is orr duty to fOrewarn the musical
public against the Misrepresentation Of a host
Of = Piano-making Associations" pretending to
be composed Of '.SteinwRy's best xOrkusn," and
making pianos exactly like steinwAy's," and
just IS good, &C.
This Is not true. Several inventions and i'm
proEnents, from which arise the chief excellen-
eies of our instruments, are patented by our firm,
and cannot be used by any other maker. For in
stance: our "Patent Agraffe Arrangement, a
most essential and important improvement that
all our instruments now contain.
The great superiority OF our pianos Il therefore
not only the result Of better material aud more
thorough workmanship Though mu b is derived
from fh.tl, but there essential differences and
improvements ofconstructien, the right TO employ
which belongs TO Us only, as it was ours, too, to
first introduce them.
Aside, then, from ths ustrufhfulness Of the
pretensions thus expose, the risk OF purchasing
a piano. and relying upon any statement or assu-
rance that emenstes nom an irresponsible body of
men without name, capital or experience and
whose warranty, in any case is not worth the pa
per that contains il, will probably be appreciated
by ali rejecting purchasers.
1t has frequently occurred that persons intend
ing embark in Business independently as piano |
makers aud tuners, have worked for a lew weeks
in our factory their sole Object, as have subse-
quently learned, being TO found claim to have
been one Of +" Stenway's" workmen, and altha au-h |
this only tends 10 confirm the fact that our iB-
struments are universally regarded as possessing
the highest degree Of perfection, yet tie satisfac
tien We might take in his homage is more than
by the loss and modification that
but often result to those who become the VIC
Tins Of such practices.
It CERT inly must be poor piano which cannot |
b. sold on its own merits, and when a dealer has
really good instruments for sale, he viii be sure
10 offer them for what they are. When he is |
anxious TO persuade his customers thar they are |
9 the same thing" somsthing else, Il is CON-
nanly an attempt TO palm On q poor srtiGle the
reputation Of a better one.