The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
A RARE OLD STEINWAY, ,TH|RTY-SEvEN YEARS OLD Sold New Orleans 1870 and Brought to Birmingham Sev Ago. This Remarkable Instrument Retains the Wonderful Steinway Tone-Sweet Mellow and Deep
 Is No Doubt One of the Oldest Stenways
 Now in Existence.
BY A MUS LOVER.

Birmingham bosses wonderful musical instrument II is q Steinway piano-not one of those remarkably beautiful and improved instruments which are being put out by the Steinways today-but an old Steinway, manufactured and sold in 1870. Just think of it. A piano over thirty-seVen years old-made before Biz mingham was on the map. or even laid out before there was Anything of what we now call the district" and when Elyton was the chief village of this sec ton. | saw this instrument in the estao- lishnsnt of the Jesse French Piano and organ company, 2O1S Second avenue, and upon inquiry l learned something of it's history.
 Sold In New Orleans.
 II was sold in New Orleans thirty-seVen years ago to some people then living at the old GruneWald hotel, being a present for a young daughter, who now lives in Birmingham 1t is interesting to know, too that this woman only gave up the old Stcinway to obtain q new one. In truth, it seems that the claim that any Steinway-hoWeVer old-Will sell in the open market for as much as any other high grade piano when new, is borne out by the condition of the trade by which this Stenway was taken in by the Jesse French people.
 Number 22,788.
 That this piano in thirty-seven years old is proven by the number-22. 1SS-caSt into it's frame. But there are other things about this piano besides It's age. That of itself would no, amount to much. It is what it is today that makes it inter- esting. In the first place while old fash ioned it would add beauty to the hand somest home Of today. It's case is built along the graceful lines that have always given the SteinWay refinement in appear ance The rosewood is genuine and or beautiful shade. The pilasters are old fashioned but to my mind really prettier than those in vogue now. But it was the tone of this thirty y-seven-ye year old piano that really surprised me. For under the touch of my fingers 1t responded with an action of remarkable ease, and with d tone. sweet. mellow and deep distinctly the steinway tone-the tone of the instrument being manufactured today by this famous house.
 How Much Longer?
 How much longer thts piano may last is a question. That it has had hard usuage is proven by the fact that the keys are worn--not at the edges only but clear down to the middle. That 1t has stod this usage is proved by that un- mistakable tone-the StenWay tone-he- ing retained. And so far as can be dis covered only five strings have ever been replaced So it may last another thirty seven years. Then think of what the Steinway built today will do-betng, of course,-far better than the old ones. have one which l think will still be the pride of my descendants hundred years from now. And as l paid thousand dollars for this--it is a Grand-it will he al since the SS50 SteinwaY upright however old brings S550. That Is certainly getting ones moneys worth,
 Steinway Superiority.
 When the above facts are known the question naturally arises. what makes this Steinway superiority" The follow ing extracts from music trade paper will tell some of the reasons:
 An institution with manufacturing plants in America England and Ger many with agents in 401 cities through out the entire globe whose instruments are selected and used as their court piano by nearly all the crowned heads of the world. and have been for many years the unbiased choice of the great est artists of this country and Europe such an institution Is the house of Steinway X Sons. whose history and prestige reflect glory upon the entire piano industry.
 "The members of the Stenway house have been decorated by many Euro pean sovereigns, who thus gave the strongest possible recognition of the fact that Steinway & Sons have ele- vated piano making to the rank of d fne art and entitled them to the leading share in the American conquest of the world in the realms of art. This house has furthermore the unparalleled record of being now under the control nd DprSOngl n third generation of Steinways. with the fourth generation as important partc- ipants
 ''The history of the house of Steinway S Sons is living illustration of the fact that devotion to art is not rn- compatible with the highest conner cial success. and that recognition is not denied to those who dedicate their lives to an ideal particularly when that ideal reaches so noble fufilmeut as the Stenway piano of today.
 No Commercial Greed.
 "lt is characteristic of the Steinway methods that neither commercial greed nor desire for a vast out put has ever influenced them to in- crease the yearly capacity of their fac tories at the sacrifice of quality. The peculiar glory of the Steinway house fig that from it's very inception it aimed at one quality-the highest-and. what is rarer the members of that house have possessed the genius necessary to reach their high ideal.
 "That the acceptance of Steinway piano has not been confined to the elect of either social, financial or artistic worlds where consideration of cost do not enter into the selection of an in strument. but where the shishest pos sible standard only is demanded, is shown by the fact that upv to the pres ent time they have built nearly l2S 0o1 Instruments. They are in use in prac- ticallv every civilized country in the world.
 "The greatness of the Steinway house was foreshadowed in the first year of It's career when Henry Fnglehard Stein way, it's founder. exhibited in the be- ginning of the last century. three p- amos at the state fair in Brunswick, Germany, where the jury. with the composer, Albert Methfessel. as chair man, granted him the first prize medal. and voiced the highest econiums upon he tone and workmanship of the in- truments.
 ssSfnca that time the history of tue