Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-13

1
tries, If not truly the greatest, is the manu-
facture of pianos in the United States. The
American piano is the acknowledged piano
of the world and has not even the approach
OF an equal For 25 years few, II any. foreign
| pianos have reached our shores, while thou
sands OF American pianos are being export
ed annually, no less than 10, 900 of these find.
| ing foreign homes last year. There are be.
tween Is and 80 expensively equipped piano
factories in the United States, turning out
each from 800 to 5000 pianos year
or a total of 10000 pianos annually.
There are some seven of these makes
| known as the old standard or
national reputationed pianos, each OF
which has taken first premium at some
worlds fair over all competition, thereby
justly laying claim to a national reputation.
| The Oldest Of these is perhaps "Chickering
| & Sons" which at one time held sway pre-
| eminently. "Knabe" ia the next oldest in
| line of the seven standard or national
| pianos, and later came in the "Steinway" to
| share honors with Chiokering and Knabe.
! and at about the same time the "Hallet &
notice, and walked off with first honors and
a ational reputation. Soon after Decker
Brothers" also became celebrated as a ma
tional piano, and then later the "Steck" put
in its claim for highest honors, and upon
crossing swords, captured first prize. and at
about the time of the Centennial "Weber"
came to the front, demanding and obtained
notice by crossing swords with the other six
standard or national American pianos.
and recognized Us such throughout the
world, and are Steinway, Chickering, Knabe.
"Hallet & Davis" Decker Brothers, Weber
and Steck. Since that time( e(the Centennial),
and up to which time square pianos had
mainly been in use, the piano trade has
new and valuable improvements have been
combined to produce the best results
Millions of capital have been invested in
new factories, new machinery and new
peared in a new and different form, the
Upright" more beautiful to the eye,
more pleasant to the ear, with its more
tone and touch
on, each manufacturer vieing with
the Others and that other making
wonderful strides to keep the lead till,
in their present state of perfection and
beauty, it is hard to tell who makes the best
piano to-day, and whether or not all or even
any of the seven old standard makes can
boast OF superiority over many of the other
20 or more fine piano makers Of the present
day. 1t is settled beyond a controversy,
however, that there are other American
manufacturers turning out and selling more
finished pianos daily at the. present time
than either OF the seven national concerns,
known as the old standard makers, among
which might be mentioned the "Sohmer," of
New York, fine piano. and the manufac-
turerS OF winch are turning Out from 10 TO SU
a week; also the "Henry F. Miller" of Bos-
ton, is good piano, and manufactured in
large numbers; and the "Hazleton Broth
ers,h of New York, make an excellent
piano, also manufactured in large numbers.
The Emerson Piano Company" Of Boston,
are now turning out between s0and 80 pianos
a week, and an excellent article. "Kranich
& Bach" one of the latter concerns, manu-
facture about 80 pianos week, and claim it
as strictly first class.
The Hartman Piano Company, of New
York, are manufacturing over 10 pianos per
week, and are a later addition to the long
line of first-c1ass American pianos and are
highly indorsed. J. & C. Fischer, of New
York, the second largest manufacturers of
pianos in the United States, turn out 90 to
100 a week and are said to be OF good quality,
and one of the reliable American makes.
The W. w. kimball Company, of Chicago,
who for years past have been recognized as
the most extensive wholesale piano and or.
gan dealers in the United States, and who
reed organs at the rate OF 80 q day. or Is 900
organs annually, began three years
recognized to-day as the most ex.
tensive piano manufacturers on the conti-
nent and who turn out 20 finished pianos
daily, or l30 week. Their combined piano
and organ factories cover seven acres of
ground, and from which is turned out 81 900
instruments annually. The Kimball piano
is "high grade" instrument springing at
once into popular favor, and is considered
piano now before the public. Prominent
among its many friends who share this be.
lief, and who use and indorse the Kimball
piano may be mentioned: Adelina Patti,
1.-THE Queen of Song;" Sig. Francisco Ia.
magno, the king of tenors; Mime. Albani, the
great prima donna: Giuseppe Del Puente, the
eminent baritone: Lillian Nordica, the Amer
lean prima donna; Lilli Lehman, Max
Alvary; Julius Perotta; Emil Fischer, the
great basso; Sig. Luigi Arditi the famous
orchestra leader: Hans Balatka, the veteran
composer, teacher and conductor; Minnie
Hauk, the great American prima donna who
created Carmen; Emil Lfebling, the cole
brated composer and concert pianist;
Charles kunkel, pianist composer and music |
publisher; 2. S. Gilmore, the worlds famous
orchestra leader, besides hundreds OF others,
dealers, musicians and experts, who believe
the "Kimball" is the coming great piano of |
the age, and marks an epoch in the history |
of American piano building. Besides the |
great Kimball factory at Chicago there are |
several other large concerns in that city |
turning out from 25to 40 pianos a week, SO |
that the East, Boston and New York, no |
longer holds the key to the piano trade, but |
must eventually bow to Chicago In piano |
as it has in organ building,
three-fourths OF the worlds supply of which |
now comes from Chicago.