Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

lection of Mr. Wo-ch are those or
Charles Albrecht, i7ss: Charles Tawes.
1890 and 1928: Harper : Pagan, 1877:
Charles Pomner. 1872: Enlilius Scherr.
Conrad Meyer. James Stewart, d. b
Grove, FUer.ne. Charles Baker. Alpheus
Babcock. Shoemaker and others made
during the Yeas 1879 to lS4e. The
Loud tamily OF p.aro ma kers is repre-
scented by seven Instruments made dur
ing the career of this house from 1918
to 1861. Among these is one made by
Loud. ST. in 1915.
Piano making was not confined to
Philadelphia" said Mr.. Worch. New
York. Boston and Baltimore are all
represented in the museum collection.
and many old friends will be recoe-
nized in the names of makers from
those cities. Boston was only a little
behind Philadelphia. for in 1898 Ben
Jamin crenoTe o. Milton. suburb OF
Boston, was the first American to take
up this work there. OF course, there
were rev piano makers in other
cities. but chey were not Americans:
they We're senerally English. Scotch,
Germans and Sxedcs.
Two of Bo9.ols pioneers in piano
making are still remen bered by their
excellent productions. These men were
Both showed femarllaole mechanical
skill and inventive ability. Babcock
was the nrSt to introduce iron into
piano ma king. The collection contains
two OF Osborne's. 1915 and lS2s. besides
fourteen others OF Boston manufacture
during the years 1920 to 1876. Tho
excellent work OF Babcock is also
traced through the rive bearing his
name and dates from 1915 to 1890
New York is weil represented in the
collection. as there are six specimens
made By the John Cieb family, 1902. OF
piano makers whose maine was asso-
ciated with the indu5tr-- IN New York
for forty years. Waites and Charters,
1903, Robert and William NUNS and
NUNS & Clark enjoyed eoviable repu-
taions as leading manufacturers OF
their day. Seven Instruments bear tes-
timony OF the excellence OF their skill
Baltimore. concluded Mr.. Worch.
did not begin this industry so early,
1910 marking the beginning of it in
that city. Twelve samples show the
different styles of cases and cabinet
work that distinguished the production
OF the early manufacturers there"
These old instruments with their yell
lowed keys. spindly legs, queer drawers
and little compartments, some Of them
beautiful. some odd and others almost
grostesque, stand in the museum not
merely as testimonials to past art in
piano manufacture and primitive ideas
of century ago; they are sentinels in
solemn array, standing; forth as mute
I1eflOFldlS TO the culture and renne
ment of past generations.
There are many oddities in this group
of forty. One is a. little writing desk
shaped affair about two and a half feet
long. which bears the impressive name,
walkers Swell Seraphine. Conn"
Another. in its dumpiness. makes ono
think of a baby elephant This is a
Dearborn. and it has a short, wide and
thick body, not nearly as long as a
modern upright. Yet it has legs massive
enough to support the largest square
grand. The most startling thing about
1T is the long. outstanding brass pedal
or lever, over which any player must
surely fall unless unusually watchful
None of the earliest pianos had
pedals. Most of them were narrow,
slim and light. with a shelf or Just
a straight piece across to keep the
spidery legs from becoming weak and
wobbly. Gradually the size of pianos
increases with the later inventions
until the resemblance between them
and the heavy grands is easily traced
Many have brass knobs, some crystal
and other knobs of the wood of the
case Some have elaborate lamp rests.
fancy headings and medallions of
brass. while inlaid wood is much in
evidence All of these antiquities have
shorter keyboard than is found on
the pianos of today, three and a half
octaves. four, five, and some of the lat
est IN the collection boast of six