Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-06-09
The Jewsharp.

There Is small and aged two-story
building in Greenwich avenue, New York,
whose unpalnted clapboards are brown and
weatheI-beaten. A few feet above the
sidewalk is the picture of gigantic jews
harp, and below it the name Of John An
drews. Going up a ricketty flight OF
stairs TO the second story, Sun reporter
entered the small front room, and there
found John Andrews, maker OF the Jews
harps, surrounded by the implements of
his art. For il Is an art to make good
harps, as Mr.. Andrews will tell you. There
are only two men in the United States, 1t
is said, that can make them, and there
are those who say that Mr.. Andrews him.
self is the only man who can be called
rightly an artist in the business. He is a
smooth faced, slender man, with keen
gray eyes and gray hair that curls upon
his head, not all unlike the hair in the
portraits of Lord Byron.
'Jewsharps, said Mr.. Andrews, 'jews-
harps. Yes sir; know as much about
them as any man in America, and more,
think, for am the only maker IN Amer ca.
AZ least | have been for many years. But
| am informed that there is man in Thir-
ty-sixth street that Is doing something in
it. don't know who he is. My grand
father and my father were makers of jews
harps in Belfast, and and my two brothers
learned the trade as well in my fathers
shop. My two brothers are In Belfast now
making harps, and my father is in Dublin;
but he is an old man and does little at it,
although he has a shop. In 1852 came TO
t lis city with my kit of tools. found a
clear field for my work. There was not
harp-maker IN the,city or the country, nor
was there much demand for harps. 1t
was slow work for some time. rented
little shop in Varick street, and little by
little began to get work. After time
had all that could do, and business con-
tinued good until the pan C OF 1873. |
STAYED in Varick street thirteen years, and
then moved to SO Ninth avenue. where
stayed fourteen years I'd be there now,
probably, but the building was pulled down
and came here.
"What is the origin of the jewsharp?"
81 can't tell you, sir, " said the jewsharp
man. "Ihave never seen man that could.
My father had a small book on harps, but
1t didn't give that information. All that
know is that it has been favorite instru-
ment In Ireland for many years. lremem-
Der long ago to have seen famous painting
by Collins, representing an Irishman play
ing the iewsharp. The best players that
have ever heard were Irishmen. In fact,
about the only special customers | have are
Irishmen. l mean those who order expen-
sive harps."
"What do you call expensive harps?"
"The most expensive l ever made sold
for So a pair. Here's a pair that / have
just made for special customer, but they
are only worth 81 the pair" MIR. Andrews
carefully unIolled a small package in which
were two large jewsharps. He placed
both to his lips with the tongues facitg g
each other, and, holding one with each
hand, struck the tongues with his little
fingers. The harps were in unison.
That's the way they are played, F" said tie
harpmaker. ''The best players want
pair of harps in unison. Then they play
with their little fingers. 1 can make harp
in any key, tune two harps in unison, and
can't play tune TO save me. How do /
change the keyl Easy enough. Either
by bending the tongue or changing the tips.
You see these little balls of glass on the tips
of the tongues. I'll file one little. See9
Now listen" He struck the harps. The
one whose tip he had filed was quarter Of
a tone sharper than the other Then he
filed the other bit, and they were again IN
unison.
Easy enough, you see, he said. SIN
fact it too easy to change the tone. Bend
ing the tongue does it, and when player
strikes too hard he bends the tongue. He
bends it back perhaps little too far. It's
as bad as ever, only the other way. Then
he bends it the other way, and the first
thing he knows the tongue Is broken.
What are my regular prices They range
from fifteen cents to $l.25 apiece, and you
can't get gross any less than that. The
difference In price is due to difference in
size and finish. Some people, you know,
want the most expensive things always;
want silver plated frames and gold-tipped
tongues. That's all foolishness. A shoe
makers wax for tip is quite as good as
bit of gold, But if a man wants gold al
give it to him and charge him for it. You
didn't think jewsharps were so expensiveG
You probably have IN mind the toy con-
Germs that you find in every toy store and
can buy for cent apiece. They are not
made here, but in Germany and England.
Birmingham turns them out by the barrel
full. 1 never make such harps. My
cheapest harp is the fifteen-cent one, with
timed frame, and / sell more of them than
any other kind"
''How is jewsharp nader
''lf my fire was not out Pd show you
while we are talking. Ibuy all my frames.
They are cast of malleable iron in the NAL
leable ron-works In Spuyten DuyviI. l
make my own patterns, and they cast them
to order. used to forge my own frames,
but that takes too long. When have
special order l sometimes forge the frame.
Still it is a matter of experience, after all,
and no man without experience can make
good harp. can t always make a good
one. If / have an order for pair of my
best harps, | make four or five. All of
them will be good marketable harps but
not all of them will be alike il tone and
quantity of sound. Out Of these pick the
ones | want. Its like making violins No
violin. maker can tell what his instrument
will be unit it is done. 1t may be just
what he wants. II may be comparative
failure"
"Are there good jewsharp players in the
clty9"
81 don't know of any that you might
call really good players. There are men
who think they are good, but they are not