The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-05-08
ARTISTIC PIANO CASES.
PIANO CASES THAT ABORIGINAL
AND ARTISTIC IN CONCEPTION.
Progressive and Worthy Efforts Of New
Jersey Concern Principles Of Modern
Theories as Applied to Art Decorations.

IOStenaAVC am " OAtAJ 4aAAohtS VI WV
Jersey Concern Principles Of Modern
Theories as Applied to Art Decorations.
There is vast difference between the
methods of piano manufacturers in pro-
ducing what we may aptly call creation"
or works of their own, as applied to the
cases of pianos. 1t is now matter of SIX
or eight years since piano manufacturers
began to make serious studiesof case archi-
lecture, particularly in its relation to cur
rent taste and to the prevailing styles Of
decoration and this delay must not be at
tributed to piano manufacturers alone, for
the nation itself had not risen to the inn
portance of decorative art as it is and
should be part of life. In fact, right now.
to-day, the art decorative is still in its in
fancy here, and is only gradually emerging
into national art, with the Colonial style
as the centrepiece.
Very naturally the piano manufacturer
had to exercise caution in proceeding, be-
cause an error in the case style is some
times serious matter; and remember
very well that in the early period of the
style revolution one of the old New York
piano making concerns, who had as one Of
its members a very devout church-goer,
and he insisted that the proposed new Up
right should be made in imitation of part
of the altar of the church, and when the
piano appeared on the floor it was repre-
hensible looking imitation of the ecclesias-
tical. That upright style must have cost
that house thousands of dollars.
This caution, which is imposed upon
piano manufacturers in their decision on
the case style proposition, should not go to
the extremes, however. for if it does the
conservatives will appear, notwithstanding
all their work to produce novelties, lost,
next to the progressive case improvers.
One of the firms that is identified with
the progressive movement in case archi-
tecrure is the Lauter Company. ofNewark,
n. j.. which is constantly engaged on ex-
detrimental work looking toward the ac-
complishment of the adaptive principle ;
that is to say, the principle of creating
cases that fit the prevailing theories of art
furniture aud household decoration. The
pianos are not merely improvements on old
styles or obsolete characters. but as they
appear they meet the prevailing theories
Of the whole line Of decoration and. please
remember, decoration is one Of the great
est arts of the day.
The Lauter Company has no special, SO
called Art Department, which usually rep.
ressnts limited number Of pianos made
for special purposes and heralded as crea-
tions of the manufacturer. whereas they
are merely copies of the various art diyis-
ions Of the French, English, early American
or classical styles.
The Lauter Company evolves it's own
ideas out of the principles of the prevail
ing theories Of art decoration, and creates
its own atylesin conformity with the same
thus moving along among the progressists
in modern art; and it does not make few
specimens as exhibits. but its whole fac
tory output represents variety Of the lat
est models of art as applied to furnitur.
and household decoration. including, pl
amos, VIII ich are, or should be, considered
apart of household decoration
II Is this principle which makes the Lau.
ter styles SO attractive, and which mas
made them such Iapiu sellers on the hooyl
Of the retail dealers. Naturally, there wouit
be no sense in putting az artistic cats
around an inartistic piano. and everyone
knows that the two are combined ia th'
Iiantar plane. the artistic tone piano ~ thl
aftlstcally cfeated case MFw York MuHg
! cal Courier,