Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-08
NEW YORK LETTER.
TIE LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF A GREAT
CITY,
Collecting Diamonds "a the Latest Fad
Snug Fortunes Pianos lgain-spscu-
lation-Rslics Of Crime.

Nrw NoRK. Lannarv s, lSSS.


are presented for the first time. The
s'aiistician OF the Musical Courier has
computed the number of pianos in the
United States since 1880. and IL appears
that upwards OF a million instruments
have been turned ont in that period.
At present the rate OF increase amounts
o. 1000 week. And the statis,ician
remarks that 1.-The business is still in Us
infancy" In spite OF tins enormous
production OF an expensive inStru'
ment which must 10 rated as q
luxury, it is doubtless true that
the business will increase 70 vastly
greater proportions within the next de-
cadc. For 1t is a fact that everybody
will recognize that appreciation for
musical art has increased TO n great de-
gree in America. especially during the
last quarter century; and further, the
state Of the piano business shows that
even the output Of 1000 pianos a week
Is not sufficient 10 meet the demand. II
is an astonishing fact that all the pianos
manufacture aud imported into this
country would not more than supply
one half the families resident IN
New York State alone And yet,
during that period when statistics
first became Trustworthy on the matter,
the number az pianos 10 the number OF
families In the entire country WAS one 10
two hundred and fifty. Now. with a con
sentative estimate of the population, II
wouh be- about one TO every fifteen. This
makes due allowance for the destruction
and wearing out OF instruments made
years ago. Tho country is growing con
sfantly. and It's prosperity appears 10 he
increasing as rapidly. 1t Is asserted 10y
those IN the trade who ought TO know
that the production OF $4,000 pianos a
wear is not more than enough at present
& replace the number that are destroyed
annually hy accident or the wearing out
process Of time.
STENCILS.
And vet. with all TINS vigorous demand
for instruments, there seems to be no
hunt - the tricks and unseemly devices
which are employed to market them.
This Is the natural result Of the competi-
ton q rival makers One Of the most
unique tricks Is the sale of what is known
ss " stencil pianos These are made
by concerns whose names are unknown
q the general public and sold 10 dealers
who mark their own names upon the
fall boards Thus il happens that the
innocent purchaser is frequently lead to
believe that he is buying an instrument
direct from the manufactures, when the
fact is that pianos of exactly the same
make aud grade are for sale under half
dozen or more names. And II Is fact
that there are two or three well-knOwn
concerns that advertise their pianos and
pose as makers who do not have a
factory. They buy all their instruments
unmarked, and use q stencil and paint
brush to produce the illusion.
One Of the worst features Of this trick
Is the copying of names OF famous manI'
facturcrs 10y the stencil process. SuY-
pose for a moment that c. q. Jones hys
perfected piano, and by years of struS
gle and industry made 1t popular and
built up paying business. Som =
shrowd Spectator who knows no more
music than cat, perhaps, but whose
name happens to he ). q. Jones,
buys from "A nondeScript factory a
lot of pianos, stencils them with
his name. and puts them before
the public as the Clones" piano.
The inference among most purchasers
would be that this was the famous
Jones" instrument. Cases are on re-
cord where the shrewd Spectator had
ms name changed by act of Legislature,
ostenSibly for some innocent reason, but
really IN order that be might pirate the
ability and reputation Of great piano
maker
The pianobusiness may not have any
more tricks and frauds than others, hut
considering the expensive nature of the
product, they are particularly glazing.
COLLECTING DIAMONDS AZ THE LATEST PAD.
Wealthy men in society have adopted
something new in the way Of gifts for
their feminine relatives. These are as
substantial az bank notes or stocks,
whereas in beauty they are as artistic rs
any that could be designed. They have
taken the form Of precious stones, and
more particularly diamonds. Recently
] was shown collection OF unset dIa-
monds which q wealthy society lady had
received from her husband, who is a
prominent physician in this city. There
we're thirty IN the collection. and they
represented New-Year and birthday
gifts They varied in size from one
carat 20 five carats, and were of the
purest water As tho LADY unrOlled them
in their chSmois covering they blszed
Ike So many little electric lights.
" Ny husband, ~ she said, believes in
giving me such presents as VIII retain
their value and IN ease OF need can
always be disposed Of. In this queer
world OF ours, whore fortunes rise and
fan when least expected, such collec-
ton as this is always substantial thing
10 rely upon. OF course he could have
given me real estate, or stocks, or bonds,
or many other substantial aud valuable
preseAts. but all of these are liable 10
fucinate In value, whereas diamonds,
especially when not set. are as valuable
wears after they have been purchased as
they were al first. My husband has a
written guarantee from the ieweiler for
oach diamond that he has bought Tor mt.
iu which the iewcller agrees 10 pay 90
Ter cent Of their cost at any time that
We wish 20 dispose OF them.
Diamonds. according 10 the leading
jewellers, make one OF the safest forms
Of investment. They never lose in value
even when they are worn. A guarantee
il given with them O. assure the Gus
toner that he has not paid too much for
them. There are very few kinds Of pro-
rtriy, either personal or real, that man
can say a. much Tor. IN every case dia-
monas can be sold for 80 per cent, at
the very least. OF what was paid forthem.
70 is only recently that wealthy people
have learned this fact Although il was
ALWAYS known that diamonds would at
any time p0ss s. a certain value, 1t was
n1t known That there Was 50 little depre-
citation. The custom among jewellers to
give g guarantee Is the outcome OF the
custom GA TIE parto Of the wealthy people
90 buy diamonds as investments and not
O. OIu4ueuts.
sNCG TORTUNKA
~ is SAID that many prominent society
women, ike the lady i have already
spoken Of, have suug fortunes in unset
diamonds which have come 20 them in
tie way Of gifts. One great advantage
Is that tney can easily be disposed OF 10
the same ieWrilpf rom whom thev verp