The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-13
Centennial Awards.

ryrom tho New York Tribune, November III
The newspapers hsve been lately teeming
with ingeniously worded advertisements re-
qarding the awards. These publications have
been skillfully prepared, 80 - to convey the
impression that this or that exhibitor las
really received the highest and best award.
Thus, instead of informing the public IS to
the tine state Of affairs, they have simply con-
fused the reader. Visitors at the Centennial
find 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 de-
partment has this system Of Misrepresentation
been carried to so great an extent As that
devoted to p;anofortes. There has been "a
war" between piano exhibitors SINCE the E1.
hibition opened, and . regular sklrmlsh lime OF
placards since the awards were OFFICIALLY an
nounced. They have We'd with each other In
the use Of eItravsgant language to prove their
respective claims to distinction. b most
ingenious methods have been DEVISED disln-
terested correspondents, whose sole object
WAS TO instruct the ignorant public, have vol
unteered their services (for 3 consideration) {;
e1.tudgss Of awards, in the interest Of certain
pisno manufacturers, have made pretended
revelations Of the secrets OF the 1ury-room,
for the sake Of supporting tho claims OF their
particular favorites, and lightning cslcula:ors
QAVe U6ou hppGAlSu " AAo Low AouAe WIZ
venient mathematical rules by which to estsb-
lish absolutely the supremacy OF their clients,
on the p~retense of the go much abused maxim
that figures cannot lie. All these efforts,
while ridiculous to those acquainted with the
subject, have been attempted to influence the
uninitiated. In fact, the piano men have left
nothing undone to mislead the public, and BY
their efforts have caused everything relating
to pianos to be looked upon with distrust, and
have made themselves the laughing stock OF
the public. By theae means injustice is not
only lone to the public, but to those who are
not only entitled to the leading position, but
who were awarded it by the judges. Your
correspondent has taken the troubls to submit
al the various reports, which arc the basis Ut
tho awards, to q careful scrutiny and compare
son, and the result is that the pianos of VIM.
Knabe 4 Co.. are found to head the list. This
house, from the commencement OF the EIhi-
bition, relied solely upon the merits OF their
instruments to secure them . just reward and
since the official announcement, although they
we're decreed the highest honors in the Piano
department, they have modestiy remained IN
the background. 1t lie fortunate that the
Judges, in preparing the Knabe report, 30
framed it 81 to leave no doubt about their pre-
eminence. They especially commended al
their four styles Of pianos Concert grand,
parlor grand. square aud uprights), aud &C.
corde1 them the praise OF u~nequsled excellence
in al the details Of perfect Instruments. The
report is plSin, straightforward and compre-
hensi7c, specifying all the elements OF merit
which it ID possible for the best piAnofOfte to
possess-power, rich:e,s and singing quality
of tone, case and elasticity Of touch efec-
~tiveness of action; solidity and originality of
construction, and excellence Of workmanship.
By comparing 1t with the other reports in the
same department, even the most skeptical will
acknowledge that no stronger language could
have been used to express the unanimous
approval of the judges.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. II, 1876.