The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-26
PIANO MANUFACTURE.
AN INDUSTRY esouN HERE ABOUT
100 YEARS AGO.

The Germans dispute with the italians the
invention Of the piano, each nation dating
tho invention about 200 years ago, but tho
former nation autedatcs the latter in its
claims by one yesr. The dispute is hardly
worth maintaining. Tie original piano was
probably ltt.0 more than harp laid on its
SIDE boxed up and pounded by some mechan-
ical coatrivauco little less primitive than
;hc hammers Of "a zitLcV player Tho piano
.. IL too much OK an instrument ever % have
boon invented II grew II is a combination
81 several ether instruments, and IN its day
las been made 70 comprehend even a drum
attachment. and other now obsolete devices
FOX producing startling effects II has been
said. too, that 4, combines almost oil the elc-
meats Of expression that belong 70 every
other instrument But in us birth, IL il ever
mad q distinct tine and place Of nativity, its
features we're 50 indefinite that even thOname
Of the SO called inventor in Italy, II not also
IN German. had 70 b disinterrcd and res
cucd from oblivion by the labors Of the
musical historians The piano belongs 20 all
countries. each country contributing some
thing TO the perfection Of an instrument
which now holds a position Of unchallenged
sunorority over every other instrument ex-
ccYt tho organ, and 10 only challenged by tho
organ when tie gloom Of cathedral arches
has descended upon solemn aud worshiping
congregations.
IHE FIRST MANUTACTURER.
The history Of the piano IN America has
been o. somewhat brilliant history, until It
has finally led up % the claim that tho best
piano ID the world Is made in New York.
Contrary % popular impression, TIC record
oil iue manufacture of pianos in this cOun-
uy lur3 back nearly 100 years Tho first
manufacturer was an Engl-mnan named
Stewart. who is Indefinitely located in Bos-
iJu Philadelphia on Baltimore, and who
rl Iiy found 10 necessary in the beginning,
i tlc old portrait painters, 60 be some
ti.rco, cn itiLcrant 20 lind customers His
oD-atl1ls we're credited chiefly 20 Balti-
iIc uutI b. became prominently identified
..t4 doe SieiuUays ia the earlier years OF
industrial adventures Il Will surprise
....- readers o. be told that among the first
.. rl. tle irs', Ol tho importers OF pianos in
t..- country ia tho way OF commercial spec
l.t.J4 was JoAu Jacob Aston; but IL is true
r.il some OK The odd hooks aud cronnics
o. tAe metropolis may atli be seen SntiQuated
r.u.i bearing bis name Oh tho plato, with a
reference also 20 bis place Of business il
Maiden lane Ho bought ais pianos in Eng
l.ud ana Germany, paying for thcm ct the
Ia;c Of about 500 each, and sold them here
for about twice tho am0unt-roae0noble
enough lie is slid TO have land tho l0unda-
tion Of tho fortune which has since become
considerable through this trade, and when
aftervard his dealings in fuis and real estate
IL ID I0 Ia
..1 time for tliiies. he turned bis piano trade
over % u successor named Lc.b.
But these We're incidents that occurred in
the infant DAYS OK the country. Since that
rcriod vo have expanded nightly as a ne
ton, aud our industries have grown even
more rapidly than our boundaries and popu-
lltion But no industry has surpassed the
manufacture q pianos liz the rapidity Of is
development From q single itineratlng
piano maker with possibly few assistants,
the number OF wor6men has swe!lcd 70 many
thousands. and piano factories, many of
which are Of very huge dimensions, are
countel by the score Ii not by the hundreds.
Accoriiug 70 Tic Musical Courier, journal
devoted u the trade, 0ud which Keeps as
careful IA record Of production as the de
tachcd condition OF TIE industry viii permit,
1900 pianos were manufactured In the
United States last year At an average
value of 200 for each instrument, probably
d low average, this would make the to>al
value Of the product s2s $4,000
MANY DISTINCT TRADES.
In view of the number manufactured in e
single year one would suppose that the mar
ket must soon he gluttet. But the same
authority tracing tho number manufactured
annually since the year 1850 places the total
number II pianos in tho country at this timo
az no mois than 100000 and this, too,
without amy calculation on the number OK
Instruments that may have been broken up
and DESTROYED in the more than 100 years
that nav, followed Tho initial date As there
are more than 100000 families ID the
country and the life Of piano IS estimated
afonlv twenty years, 10 viii he seen that we
should be very far ffom reaching glut IN
tue market for these instruments.
1t takes a great many distinctive trades to
form ono complete piano maker, being
hardly longer existing in fact as an entity,
but living as the objective representative Uf
AL Ideal combination Of Industries Only a
Few Of the leading factories in the country
manufacture the entire instrument within
their walls, and piano makers, like builders,
Gle chiefly engaged in putting together the
proiucts Of O variety Of workmen. First
comes the manufacturer Of the iron plate.
Hois q foundryman. Then comes the makers
Of sounding boards, tuning pins, and tho
ike They. too, flourish outside OK piano
factory Auotherdistinct Industry Is found
in the production OF tho wire This was for
merlv imported from Birmingham, but is
now produced in tho United States. The
manufacturers Of actions and keyboards fol
low. and thoy, too, represent domestic indus
tries prosecuted largely in New York.
Tho fabrication Of hammers Is distinct
trade, and after they arc fashioned they are
cent 70 the hammer oovcrcr to DO covered
with fot. But what Is felu Wcall know OK
Il IN general terms as head covering; but
piano felt IS something different IL Is the
product OF an especially fine quality Of wool,
ana was formerly all imported from Ger
many OF France But In recent years
American manufacturers have learned to
compete successfully Ia It's production These
arc al. auxiliary industries in the manuract-
ure Of pianos. and tho list may be extended
by ,hc mention OF pedals, which como also
from tie founder, piano legs, which como
lroin tho wood turner or carver; piano cases,