The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-30
Centennial AWArds.

From the New York Tribune, November 1871
The newspapers have been lately teeming
with ingeniously worded advertisements re.
garding the awards. These publications have
been skillfully prepared, SO as to convey the
impression that this or that exhibitor has
really received the highest and best award.
Thus, instead OF informing the public as to
the true state of affairs, they have simply
confused the reader. Visitors ut the Gen.
tennial End themselves bewildered by the
adverse claims to distinction which they find
placarded on every hand, and they do not
know which way to turn to discover the
truth. In no department has this system OF
misrepresentation been carried to so great an
extent as that devoted to piano fortes. There
mas been ga war" between piano exhibitors
since the Exhibition opened, and q regular
skirmish line of placards since the awards
were officially announced. They have We'd
with each other in the use of extravagaDt
| language to prove their respective claims to
distinction. The most ingenious methods
| have been devised disinterested correspond.
ents, whose sole object was to instruct the
ignorant public, have volunteered their
services (for cOnsideration); ex-judges oil
awards, in the interest of certain piano man
ufacturers, have made pretended revelations
of the secrets of the jury.room, for the sake
of supporting the claims OF their particular
favorites, and lightning calculators have
| been appealed to and have found convenient
mathematical rules by which to establish alb
solutely the supremacy of their clients, or
the pretense of the SO much abused maxim
that figures cannot lie. All these efforts
while ridiculous to those acquainted with thu
subject, have been attempted to influence
the uninitiated. In fact, the piano mel
have left nothing undone to mislead tn
public, and by their efforts have caused
everything relating to pianos to be loOke'
upon with distrust, and have made them
selves the laughing stock of the public. H.
these means injustice is not only done to tn
public, but to those who are not only emit
tied to the leading position, but who wer
awarded it by the judges. Your CORES
pendent has taken the trouble to submit al
the various reports, which are the basis o
the awards, to careful scrutiny aud CON
parison, and the result is that the pianos o
VIM. Knabe d Co. are found to head the lis
This house, from the commencement OF tn
Exhibition, relied solely upon the merits G
their instruments to secure them jus
award; and since the official announcement
although they were decreed the highest hOI
ors in the Piano Department, they hav
modestly remained in the background. 1t
fortunate that the judges, in preparing th
Knabe report, SO framed it as to leave n
doubt about their pre-eminence. They e
pecially commended all their four styles {
pianos, concert grand, parlor grand, squa,
and uprights, and accorded them the prais
of unequaled excellence in all the details
perfect instruments. The report is plail
: straightforward, and comprehensive, spec
flying all the elements of merit which it
possible for the best piano forte to possess
, power, richness, and singing quality of tom
: ease and elasticity of touch effectiveness
action; solidity and originality OF constru
tinn and ayaaIIanaa nf work m ghln-
Q comparing it with the other reports in Il
3 same department, even the most skeptic
/ will acknowledge that no stronger langua,
: could have been used to express the unar
' nous approval of the judges.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. IL, 1876.