The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-07
PIANOS.

concerning the appropriation of sign which
had on 1t the well-known motto, "Liyt
sSs and lss yssr Lysn ,s TSward itass ths close
piano manufacturer in Twenty second
street, in q very small way, and sold al
the instruments he made to the firm OF Ilsley &
Co., of Broome street, who always put s'Iisley y
Co." upon them. Thus he continued until July
1866, wnen he persuaded Mr.George Ilsley to &c
into business with him as piano manufacture
ers, and to furnish the necessary capital. He
on the other hand, was to give his name to the
new concern and to put in such stock and fix
lures as he had, which then amounted to the
sum OF $50 81. We have it from MIR. Ilsiey
himself that the argument used by Mr.
Myron A, Decker, which induced him to con-
| sent to this arrangement, was the fact that
the Decker Bros. had made the name Decker
| popular, and therefore valuable, ana that as
his name was also Decker 1t might enable them
to do good business Thus in the year 1856
was formed the firm of Decker & Co., which
ran till 1868, when it moved to Union Place,
where 1t failed. After one year. that is, in 1866,
Mr.. Ilsley became dissatisfied with his partner
ship, broke it up, but continued to do business
| as Decker s. Co., and employed MIR. Myron A.
| he failed From 1868 to 1871, Mr. NJ. A. Decker
was, more or less, out of business. In 1871 he
entered into partnership with Mr.. Barnes, and
has continued so, as we have already related.
We now come to the firm of
DECKER BROS, OF 56 BLEEOKER ST., NEW YORK.
leading commercial agencies to be dong busi-
ness on the reputation Of the firm of Decker
Bros, OF Union Square, with whom they are
neither in any way related or connected, and
whose title they have sought to copy as closely
as possible. Tine firm consists of Mr. Marcus
A. Decker only, who is the son Of Mr., E. b.
Decker, who was a well known tuner, and
died last winter. This Mr.. Il. b. Decker
was the brother of Mir. Myron A. Decker, OF
Decker & Barnes, and started in business in
the year 1858 IN a small store in Bleecker
street rs q retailer of pianos. He made
an arrangement with another brother,
III. Is. Decker, farmer, now liv-
ing near Binghamton, to use HIS name, and SO
CONCERN never made piano during the whole
course OF Its existence. In 1869 MIR. e. B. Deck
er's son Marcus, the only present survivor OF
this branch OF the family, was taken into the
| firm, which two years afterward changed its
name to Decker Il Brothers, though with no
| moral or legal right to do SO, and removed from
| Broom TO Bleecker street, where our readers
will remember the Decker Bros. made their
reputation. Their reason for dong this is most
obvious. On MIR. Il. B. Dccker's death Mr..
Marcus A. Decker, his son, continued the bust
| ness under the old firm name.
RESUME.
From this account it is most clear
| /. That the only firm entitled to the honor
and credit OF having Obtained great reputa-
| tion for the Decker Piano are Messrs, Decker
Bros, of SO Union Square.
.. That Messs Decker & Barnes, though
partial manufacturers lin as much as they do
not make all the parts OF their instrunents),
| are not Justified III asserting, as they do in
their catalogue, that their Mr. Myron A. Deck
| er was the one who made the Decker instru-
| ment known, seeing that next to none were
| made in his name till July, 1865, three full
years airer the Decker Bros. had started. New
| erthelcss they are fully entitled to their firm
name, and do a legitimate business.
8. That Messrs. Decker & Bros are neither
legally nor morally entitled to their firm name,
were never at any time manufacturers and
| trade only on the strength OF the reputation OF
| the firm OF Decker Bros, whose style they imi-
| tale and copy.