The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-11

FRAUDS IN THE Piano TRADE'--A
Soatkiaq Expose Of The Frauds perpctrdied by
URscrupuIous Persons on The Leading r.
ana, forte lEak7s-The History Of he Decker
RGRo.-The time has come when the
frauds perpetrated by INSCRIPTIONS per:
sons on the leading pianotOrte makers OF
this country have assumed such dlmen:.
sion that they can no longer be endured
in silence, Not only the trade but the
public are suffering from them every day,
and We have, therefore, taken upon our
selves the onerous duty OF once for all
unmasking those persons who, under the
guise Of some great manufacturers name,
boldly food the market with worthless
instruments. The houses OF ChiCkering,
Steinway, Decker, Weber, Knabe, and
Haines are the principal firms whose
names are either directly or in some mu-
tilated shape put upon instruments which
never saw light in their factories, but
have been turned out wholesale, like no
much sausage meat, from the workshops
OF men who look upon the construction
OF piano much in the light Of carpen-
ter who makes cheap bedsteads by the
score, and Considerers the whole affair as
involving so much material, which, being
knocked together anyhow, is fit for sale
10 long US it will stand transportation.
1t is self.evident that such condition
Of affairs Is most disgracetul to all par
ties concerned. II the law can reach
these bogus manufacturers, it is an out
rage that the firms whose instruments
they have iraudulently initiated have not
prosecuted them long ago, to protect
themselves and the public as well.
We must confess our establishment at
the comparative indifference and supine.
ness Of the leading manufacturers hither-
to, inasmuch as not only do these bogus
instruments injunS their reputation, but,
further, they depreciatc the value Of their
pianos in the estimation Of the public,
who are continually treated to the sight
OF advertisements In the Herald in which
parties offer to sell instruments, purpOrt-
Ing to be genuine, at prices far below the
market value. Do the Decker Brothers
think it no injury that new instrument,
advertised as theirs to all appearance,
and as "having cost 81 900, can be got for
$500, or even less"2
This firm have been forced TO take the
matter up and give ii their most serious
consideration, and with their usual en-.
terprise have been the first to enter the
field in contest from which nc shall
never retire until, by dint Of every inllu-
enCe we can bring to boar, We have en-
abled the honest piano manufacturer to
protect his business from the Onslaughts
Of knaves and rogues.
THE True HISTORY OF TIE DECKER PiANo.
AT the present time there are no less
than three firms who claim to make the
Decker" piano, and to have the right Of
using name which has for nearly fifteen
years stood most deservedly high In the
opinion Of tho public Of this country.
These three firms are-l, Decker Bro.
theirs, Of SO Union Square, New York; 9.
Decker & Barnes, Of 1875 Third Avenue,
New York; and, 8. Decker Il Brothers, OF
SO Blocker Street, New York, We now
proceed to investigate with what justice
each Of these firms may be said to make
n "Decker" piano, and to which Of the
firms, in the estimation Of the press, the
public, and the profession, Is due the
honor and the credit OF having made the
name Of "Decker" respected, popular, and
valuable. 10 do this we shall in nOwisC
intrude our own opinions, butshall care.
fully, most carefully, give the record Of
eaCh house as We and Others are prepared
to substanliate 1t.
MEssRs. DECKER BROTHERS, OF 80 UNION
SQUARE.
This firm consists Of two brothers, John
Jacob Decker and David Decker. John
Jacob Decker worked rs n jOurneyman
for eight years, from 1916 to 1854, with
the late firm OF Bacon q Raven. In 1854,
on the death Of Mr.. Bacon, the firm was
reofganized and continued in business rs
Raven, Bacon & Co., young Mr.. Bacon
taking his fathers place, and John j.
Decker constituting the company, having
obtained an interest In the business by
reason Of his rare skill and judgment,
Thus Mr.. John J. Decker continued for
eight years, till the year 1862, when he
started in business for himself in VariCk
street lin the very house where SLeinwRy
started) In conjunction with his brother
David, who previous to this date had been
quietly working his way along, year in
year out, as n journeyman.
The two brothers started on II small
capitalize savings Of their steady In.
dustry-nnd with no other desire than to
make Il few square pianos for the retail
trade in New York and its vicinity.
However humble their aim, however
small their beginning, they were not dies.
tined ito bloom unseen" for the late
master.musician, Carl AnsChutz, got
hold Of their very first instrument, and
stamped them III an autograph let
ter las manufacturers Of the very
highest class" From this moment their
fame rapidly spread, and they were, as
early as 1863, one year after they had
started in VariCk street, enabled to move
TO more Capacious premises in Blocker
street, where they remained six years, I'LL
1869, when they moved their factory and
warerooms to Thirty.fourth street, and
In 1870 opened separate wareroomS in
the magnificent premises they now OcCll.
py at 50 Union Square. Being practical
artisans and most superior mechanics,
they early entered upon the most worthy
design Of improving the manufacture Of
the piano MS much as possible, and In
June, 1868, the Scientific american spoke
In terms Of the warmest praise Of val
liable improvement they had then Just
patented. After this their strides In per.
iccting the manufacture Of the instrument
were most rapid, and they obtained
patents in '63, rs, 'O7, go, 70, 70 and 70,
which called forth the most tlne1uiyOcal
praise from the press and the public, and
mainly helped them TO produce those IN.
struments which have given them their
present proud position. In 1854 The
Tribune, III a highly laudatory account Of
one OF their improvements, stated that II
chad enabled them to develop in their IN.
struments tone at once admirable for lts
purity, fullnesS, prolongation, and sweet.
ness. and the high estimation in which
their improvement IL held is we'll shown
In the rapidly increasing business Of
the firm" In 1872 the same paper,
In an article reviewing the whole piano.
forte trade In the country, observed that
'the Decker Bros. have won their success
by solid merit, and hold 1t by unremitting
effort in the same direction The genius