New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-11
THE GREAT PIANO WAR.
WEBER TO THE FRONT AGAIN.
TIE P.IZhs Az TIE PAWS EXHIBITION. IeG7 FULLY

make mad" The only attempt at little pleasantly
which can he found after onc.and-a half columns of
| scnrrllous abuse aud mud throw at the terrible
Weber on tho part of the Mcssrs. Stenway, appears
| in the end Of their card where they say, we have
thus far acted with great patience and forbearance
toward this man. tow kind that u.s. and what a
Christian spiiit il shows-which Is admirable and
| for Ylich had not gwen them credit.
The Messrs. Steinway tall about the 1000 ex-
hibitors at Philadelphia, but % far they are the one
| sorehcad amongst the whole army of 1900. All
the rest keep still. | have no doubt some Of the
other exhibitors were disappointed as well as the
| Steinways but they wisely kept their disappOnt-
ment TO themselves, and do not whine publicly
abont it the Messrs. Steinway do, who blame all
their roublc on Weber, who has got better award
and knows how to make better piano.
They spend year, tray cling thousands Of miles
over the world make two ocean voyages and pro-
ducc as a result certificate of number of private
gentlemen as a Centennial award, written nine
months after the Centennial ia closed and claim
that rs a Centennial award. When Mr.. Weber sings
out T. T. {" TOO thin y. they get mad and tear away
and abuse him. and shout. ave have been invaria-
bly victorious at every exhibiton-at London Paris
Vienna ana Philadelphia-now what are you going
to do about il !"
Now said, in contradiction 10 their claim that
they have been mra,io5y dcteated, and mean to
prove it but shall do It politely because the rule
of the Weber establishment is po;eneSj.
With that end in view, l wrote letter On the
London Exhibition January 81. showing by Official
record that the house of Brentwood IL Sons STOOD
Without conforer4y ut the head of the piano manu-
faclurers who exhibited in London. The Messr'
Stcinway answer in two and one-half columns OF
abuse and irrelevant matter, and not one line to
dis rove a word | said; not one Singl" uord" TO
| AZ. IL. Il. .lrn
gard to any of the facts cheerfuly state that
they got a recognition at every exhibition but there
were Away, one CT iIore who received higher
award than the Messrs Steinway; that is all
We thus left the Messrs. Seinway. after the Lon
don Exhibition carefully balancing themselves on
thrce-ci gcd stool e. Paris, Vienna, Philadelphia'J
lest it might topple over, and proceed to the
EXHIBITION AZ PARIS. 1867,
| where they again put in the clam for the highest
award. Even before the exhibition the contest rs
to o superiority If the pianos of tho Mcssgs. Chick
| crng and the Messrs Stcinway, who alone cXhib-
| tied there from this country began 10 assume.
| through tho press oi this country, belhgerent
character The instant they appeared in Paris it
va renewed aud assumed such proportions that the
official report is forced TO notice it and says:
"The strife between these two large establishments.
of the Mcs,rs Chicacring and the NJ srs. stcinway,
| produced q fcycrIsh character III the Universal TX
| hbtion OF Paris 1t was not always conducted IN
| ugniicd manner; newspaper pulls lreclamel were
used and abused" The official report speaks in she
highest terms Of praise possible of both makers.
| bnt with us the question is the final result. Who
carried oil The ririors' This is the question!
The aw, rls for the whole exhibition consisted OF
! 5SOI honorable mention. G.j65 bronze medals,
! 3GJ:. silver medals sS3 gold medals and 81 grand
pri4,. viz: The Cross of the Legion of Honor the
! 1 g 81. -. Of
! next TO the highest the gold medal and lowest,
| honorab .n,Ion. 10 tie piano manufacturers
exhibiting at Paris were given enc highest
| prizr. Tie Crus. Of the Legion OF Honor
gold medals. silver medals, for pianos, organs and
| musical instruments generally, II bronze medals,
! ditto 2Jl honorable mention.
| Irwin thus be seen that, while tho Commission
| were very liberal in honorable mentions pieces of
| paper. they were decidedly par'imonous with Their
| Cros, of the Legion of Honor. Only one Our OF
3s7 awards to musical instruments. but one Cross OF
| the Legion of Honor and that was brought L
| America hy the eminent house Of Chlckerng *
! SOILS They thus honor America by bringing back
| with them the one Cross Of the Legion OF Honor
gwen TO al tie musical inst umcnts-thc higL 3S:
| possible award. While the coat OF Nj. ChlcAcrng
j. graced with the significant red ribbon, the Acssrs
| Stclnway return to rs from Paris dangling along
|
| bnt shouting. "Onr. is the first gold meda" How
ridiculous, in face OF the stubborn tact that all the
gold medals are exactly alike.
Savs Mons Fcts the official reporter, in letter
to the Mcssrs. Chickering Il sons, November
10 1867: IT i. undcniably established that there
is but one single class Of gold medals for The exhibi
tjou that the decoration of the Cross of tho Legion
of Honor constitutes n superior rccompense, and
| tlIq; il has been awarded you by the Emperor Tor
the merit of your instruments" Again, the Official
cat tio ,iie SAYS Besides this medal (goid OF the
! first class tho Mcssrs. Chckering received the
rcc,mpcnsc which SURPRISES all otherS-the cross OF
| tlc Legion Of Honor" There il certainly nothing
| ambiguous about this. IL is clear and beyond con-
| troycrsy. The Mossrs Chckcring & Sons went To
| the Exhibition piano makers. and returned piano
| makers with the Cross of the Legion OF Honor.
| The avalanche of venomOus abuse. and tho sling
| ing Oh mud, with which the Mrssrs. Sioinway N
Son, assailcd the great house Of Chickerng. after
Their RETURN ~ still rccolected. Ii lasted for years
They made the most proposterous claims through
the press, expending cash and labor to try
| and confuse the issue. Every ingenuity of the
| ahowman and mountebank whose motto lis that " 1t
does not matter whct' er you have woody horse or
n Cardiff Giant. What you do want is to make
| people believe you have" was resorted 10.
This game they now trying to play with Weber
in respect to Philadelphia. l don't think it will
succeed. Don't let them DO afraid. l shall only
get TO Philadelphia too soon for them shall also
get to their inventions. and when touch them with
the wand of truth they will disappear rs surely as
the dew before the morning sun.
So far | know of only ono of theii inventions
which will stand-that Of making anos Of wkittrooi,
mapre upd uanrt and staining them 10 look Ike
rood If SIR. steinway, President Of Steinway &
Sons stock company. desires to introduce person
alitcs entirely outside of the question at ISSUE IA
has been done in his last letter, shall not regret it