The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-04
Tie j Jeyshnrp.

| building III GrCenWlCh avenue, New York
whose unpalnted clapboards are brown aud
wcather-beaten. A few feet above the
sidewalk is the picture of a gigantic jews
harp, and below it the name Of John An
drews. Going up rickctty flight of
stairs to the second story, Stm reporter
entered the small front room, and there
found John Andrews, maker Of the jews
harps, surrounded by the implements of
his art. For it Is an art to make good
harps, as Mr.. Andrews Will tell you. There
arc 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
tightly AL artist in the business. lie 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; l know as much about
them as any man in America, and more,
think, for am the only maker III Amer ca.
a: 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 f,thcr 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 III Belfast now
making harps, and my father is in Dublin;
but he is al old man and does little at ii,
| although he has shop. In 1862 came to
| 'is city with my kit of tools. found Il
| clear field for my work. There was not a
harp-maker IN the. city or the country, nor
was there much demand for hurps. 1t
was slow work for some time. rented Il
little shop in Varick street, and little by
little began to get work. After a time
had all that | could do, and business con
tinued good until the pane of 1878.
| stayed i'll Varick street thirteen years, aud
then moved to 83 Ninth avenue. where
stayed fourteen Yeas. I'd be there now,
probably, but The building was pulled down
and came here"
"What Is the origin Of the jcwsharp2"
81 can't tell you, sir, )" said the jcwsharp
man. "Ihave never seen Il 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 a favoritc instru
mcnt III Ireland for many years. Ircmem-
DER long ago TO have seen famous painting
DY Collins, representing an 1rishman play
ing the jcwsharp. The best players that
have ever heard were Irishmcn. In fact,
about the only special customers have are
lrishmen. mean those who order expcn-
sive harps."
"What dc you call expensive harps2'
| The most expensive l ever made sold
for $6 pair. Here's Il pair that | have
just made for SPECIAL customer but they
arc only worth 81 the pair" Mr.. Andrews
carefully unrolleu small package in which
were two large jewsharps. lie placed
| both to his lips with the tongues facir &
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 arc played" said tie
harpmakcr "Thc best players want IL
pair of harps in unison. Then they play
with their little fingers. can make harp
in any key, tune two harps in unison, and
can't play tune to save me. How do
change the kcy2 Easy enough. Either
by bending the tongue or changing the tips.
You see these little balls of glass on the tips
| of the tongues. Pll file one a little. Sees
Now listen" lie struck the harps The
one whose tip he had filed was quarter OF
tone sharper than the other. Then he
hlcd the other bit, and they were again III
uhisoo.
Easy enough, you see," lie said. "In
fact it too easy to change the tone. Rcnd-
| strikes too hard he bends the tongue. IIo
bends it back perhaps little too far. us
| 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 arc my regular priccs2 They range
from fifteen cents to Sl.26 apiece, and you
can't get gross any less than that The
difference III price is due to difference in
size and finish. Some people, you know,
want the most expensive things always;
want sivcr-platcd frames and gold-tippcd
tongues. That's all foolishncss. A shoe
makers wax for tip is quite as good as
bit OF gold, But if a man wants gold III
give IL to him and charge him for it. You
didn't think jcwsharps were 80 cxpcnsivc2
You probably have III 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. l never make such harps. NV
cheapest harp is the liflccn-cc one, with
timed frame, and sell more of them than
any other kind"
"llCw is Il jcwsharp madc2"
eff my fire WAS not out I'd show YOU
while we are talking. l buy all my frames.
They are cast Of mallcablc IRON in The NAL
lcable lron-w orks III Spuyten DuyviI. /
make my own patterns, and they Cast them
to order. used to Jorge my own frames,
but that takes too long. Whcs have a
special order sometimes forge the frame.
Still it is matter of experience, after all,
and no man without experience can make Il
good harp. can always make good
one. If 1 have an order for pair of my
best harps, l make four or five. All of
them will be good marketable harps, but
not all Of them will bc alike in tone and
Quantity Of sound. Out of these pick the
ones went. lis like making violins. No
violin maker can tell what his instrument
will be unit | it is done. 1t may be Just
what he wants. IL may be Il comparative
failure"
care there good jowsharp players in the
clty2"
81 don't know OF any that you might
call really good players. There are men
who think they alc good, but they arc not