, 1888-04-04
PIANO MANUFACTURE.
AN INDUSTRY BEGUN HERE ABOUT
100 YEARS AGO.

John Jacob Aston, Piano Importer of
Maiden ~Lane-State of the Trade Today.
A Combination.
The Germans dispute with the Italians the
invention of the piano, each nation dating
the invention about 200 years ago, but the
former nation antedates the latter in its
claims by one year. The dispute is hardly
worth maintaining. The original piano was
probably little more than a harp laid on its
side, boxed up and pounded by some mechan-
ical continuance a little less primitive than
the hammers of a either player. The piano
is too much of an instrument ever to have
been invented. 1t grew. 1t is n combination
of several other instruments, and in its day
has been made to comprehend even q drum
attachment, and other now obsolete devices
for producing startling effects. 1t has been
said, too, that it combines almost all the ele-
ments of expression that belong to every
other instrument. But in its birth, if it ever
had a distinct time and place of nativity, its
features were SO indefinite that even the name
of the SO called inventor in Italy, IL not also
In Germany, had to be disinterred and res
cued from oblivion by the labors of the
musical historians. The piano belongs to all
countries, each country contributing some
thing to the perfection of an instrument
which now holds q position of unchallenged
superiority over every other instrument ex-
cept the organ,a and is only challenged by the
organ when the gloom of cathedral arches
has descended upon solemn and worshiping
congregations.
II FIRST MANUFACTURER.
The history of the piano in America has
been a somewhat brilliant history, until it
has finally led up to the claim that the best
piano in the world is made in New York.
Contrary to popular impression, the record
of the manufacture of pianos in this coun-
try runs back nearly 100 years. The first
manufacturer was an Englishman named
Stewart, who is indefinitely located in Bos-
ton, Philadelphia or Baltimore, and who
possibly found 1t necessary in the beginning,
like the old portrait painters, to be some
thing of an itinerant to find customers. His
operations were credited chiefly to Balti-
more, until he became prominently identified
with the Steinways in the earlier years of
their industrial adventures. 1t will surprise
most readers to be told that among the first,
If not the first, of the importers of pianos in
this country in the way of commercial spec
ulation was John Jacob Aston; but it is true,
and in some of the odd hooks and crannies
of the metropolis may still be seen Anticipated
pianos bearing his name on the plate, with a
reference also to his place of business in
Maiden lane. He bought his pianos in Eng
AdllA ilpl NNi man , lh1 iHb vi & tb lio
rate of about SG5 each, and sold them here
for about twice the amount-reasonable
enough. He is said to have laid the founda-
ton of the fortune which has since become
considerable through this trade, and when
afterward his dealings in furs and real estate
had become so vast and varied that he had
no time for t%rifles, he turned his piano trade
over TO u successor named Leib.
But these were incidents that occurred in
- 49,
period we have expanded nightly as a ma
ton, and our industries have grown even
more rapidly than our boundaries and popu-
lation. But no industry has surpassed the
manufacture of pianos in the rapidity of its
development. From a single itinerating
piano maker, with possibly a few assistants,
the number of workmen has swelled TO many
thousands, and piano factories, many of
which are of very huge dimensions, are
counted by the score if not by the hundreds.
According to The Musical Courier, a journal
devoted to the trade, and which keeps as
careful a record of production as the de
tached condition of the industry will permit,
1000 pianos were manufactured in the
United States last year. AT an average
value of $500 for each instrument, probably
a low average, this would make the total
value of the product $2S,S 800, 900.
MANY DISTINCT TRADES.
In view of the number manufactured in O
single year one would suppose that the mar
ket must soon be glutted. But the same
authority tracing the number manufactured
annually since the year 1850, places the total
number of pianos in the country at this time
at no more than 100000 and this, too,
without any calculation on the number of
instruments that may nave been broken up
and destroyed in the more than 100 years
| that bava followed tho initial date Au thara
are more than IL 100000 families in the
country and the life of a piano is estimated
at only twenty years, it will be seen that we
should be very far from reaching a glut in
the market for these instruments
1t takes q great many distinctive trades to
form one complete piano maker, n being
hardly longer existing in fact as an entity,
but living as the objective representative OF
an 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,
are chiefly engaged in putting together the
products of a variety of workmen. First
comes the manufacturer of the iron plate.
He is a foundryman. Then comes the makers
of sounding boards, tuning pins, and the
like. They, too, flourish outside of a piano
factory. Another distinct industry is found
in the production of the wire. This was for
merly imported from Birmingham, but is
now produced in the United States. The
manufacturers of actions and keyboards fol-
low, and they, too, represent domestic indus
tries prosecuted largely in New York.
The fabrication of hammers is a distinct
trade, and after they are fashioned they are
sent to the hammer coverer to be covered
with felt. But what Is felti We all know of
1t in general terms as a head covering; but
piano felt is something different. 1t is the
product of an especially fine quality Of wool,
and was formerly all imported from Ger
many or France. But in recent years
American manufacturers AVE learned to
compete successfully in its production. These
are all auxiliary industries in the manufact-
ure of pianos, and the list may be extended
by the mention of pedals, which come also
from the founder; piano legs, which come
from the wood turner or carver; piano cases,
produced by the c~abinetmaker or his double,
and of keys, more than 100000 of which,
ivory and celluloid, are produced in a single
year. The list of distinct industries kept in
motion to serve the piano maker would in
deed be a long one were an attempt made to
trace 1t to the end.-New York Sun.
California Excursion Statistics.