CABARET PLAYER PIANO
1977 - 5000 1979 - 7800
1981 - 10100
1978 - 6600 1980 - 9000 1982 - 11300
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CABLE
This piano is manufactured by
the Conover-Cable Piano Co. with offices and factory at
Oregon, Ill. The original Cable Piano, an instrument of high
standing and one which has always attained great popularity,
is sold extensively in all parts of the United States and
abroad. It possesses that pleasing attribute an exceptionally
sweet tone, one of richness and exquisite delicacy,
especially recommending it for studio and home use. Its
lasting qualities are as unexcelled as skill, first-class
workmanship and patient attention to the infinite details
that piano building can insure. The original Cable Piano not
only has the best qualities that distinguish an instrument of
high standing, but those superior qualities of tone and
action which are rendered possible by a construction and
design especially adequate to the production of such
desirable results. The Cable Studio piano, due to its rugged
durability, has been selected and recognized by many schools,
colleges, music conservatories and public institutions where
long lasting service is a requisite. The durable features
embodied in original Cable pianos over many years are still
being employed in attractively designed consoles and spinets.
The Cable piano was an
instrument of very high standing and one which also attained
great popularity that was sold extensively in all parts of
the world. The immense prestige The Cable Company, rendered
the "Cable" a desirable piano from the standpoint
of name brand recognition, as well as superb quality,
stability, and tone that possessed a pleasing attribute of an
exceptional richness and exquisite delicacy. A Cable piano
not only had the best qualities that can distinguish
instruments of high standing, those superior qualities of
tone and action which were rendered possible by a
construction and design
Especially adequate to the
production of such desirable results. Embodied in the upright
model was a patented sound board and frame construction which
is a new and exclusive feature. Instruments having this
construction bear the trademark "Tone Arch." The
patented sounding-board-and-frame construction, in the grand
model is a simple but most effective devices, consisting of a
curved bracing member built into the frame. This is a part of
an improved construction designed to maintain the proper
curvature of the soundboard necessary to preserve the
original tonal beauty of the instrument. Instruments having
this construction bear the trade mark "Crown stay."
The Cable Reproducing Grand has all the merits of the regular
Cable Grand, including the famous "Crown stay"
construction. Combined with a reproducing action made
exclusively Cable which has been developed to the highest
stage of perfection through a long series of experiments
carried on in the great Cable factories.
An addition to the Cable line
was the Midget piano which presented remarkable features. It
was but 44 inches high and 55 inches in length, it was not a
makeshift; not a toy; and not a compromise. It was a
full-fledged upright, built to meet every single exacting
Cable standard of quality and workmanship. It was used in
places where this little instrument was highly practical. In
the school room the small apartment, the den, or on the
veranda of the summer home. Because of its small Size and
weight, the Cable Midget Upright was always readily moved
about. No job was too difficult for this staunch little
instrument: it was endowed with an unusual ability to
withstand even more trying conditions of service than most
larger pianos are called upon to meet. It was the forerunner
of all of the vertical pianos of today. The Cable Player,
Style "PL," contained all the very important and
exclusive Cable features which made the Cable line of players
famous. It was extremely easy to operate. A powerful,
exclusive type motor provided a steady flow of power at all
times. The "Wrist-Rest," a patented Cable device,
enabled the operator to rest the arm in maintain a natural,
non- tiring position while playing. The pedals when not in
use folded completely out of sight giving it the appearance
of a regular upright piano when played as a normal piano.
Manufactured by The Cable
Company, of Chicago, a piano manufacturing enterprise
unsurpassed in the amount of the product or in financial
strength by any other institution of similar character in the
world's musical industries. The Cable piano is an instrument
of very high standing and one which has also attained great
popularity and is sold extensively in all parts of the United
States and largely abroad. This piano, bearing as it does,
the name of this big company, represents to an unusual
degree, big value. It possesses that pleasing attribute, an
exceptionally sweet tone, one of richness and exquisite
delicacy, especially recommending it for parlor use. Its
lasting qualities are as unexcelled as skill, first class
workmanship and patient attention to the infinite details of
piano building can insure.
The Cable piano not only has
the best qualities that distinguish an instrument of high
standing, but those superior qualities of tone and action
which are rendered possible by a construction and design
especially adequate to the production of such desirable
results. Embodied in the upright model is a patented sound
board and frame construction which is a new and exclusive
feature. Instruments having this construction bear the
trademark "Tone-Arch." The patented
sounding-board-and-frame construction, in the grand model is
a simple but most effective device, consisting of a curved
bracing member built into the frame. This Is a part of an
improved construction designed to maintain the proper
curvature of the sound board. So necessary to preserve the
original tonal beauty of the instrument. Instruments having
this construction bear the trademark "Crowns stay."
The Cable Reproducing Grand has all the merits of the regular
Cable Grand, including the famous "Crown stay"
construction. Combined with it is a reproducing action
exclusively Cable which has been developed to the highest
stage of perfection through a long series of experiments
carried on in the great Cable factories. A recent addition to
the Cable line is the Midget Upright which presents some
remarkable features. It is but '44 inches high and 55 inches
in length. But it is not a makeshift not a toy, not a
compromise. It is a full-fledged upright piano, built to meet
every exacting cable standard of quality and workmanship.
There are scores of places where this little instrument is
highly practical in the school room, the small apartment, and
the den, or on the veranda of the summer home. Because of its
small Size and weight, the Cable Midget Upright may be
readily moved about. No service is too difficult for this
staunch little instrument: it is endowed with an unusual
ability to withstand even more trying conditions of service
than most larger pianos are called upon to meet. The Cable
Player, Style "PL," contains all the important
exclusive Cable features which have made the Cable line of
players famous. This player is extremely easy to operate. A
powerful, exclusive type motor provides a steady flow of
power at all times. The "Wrist-Rest," a patented
Cable device, enables the operator to maintain a natural,
untiring position while playing. When not in use the pedals
fold completely out of sight, giving it the appearance of a
regular upright piano when played by hand.
1950 - 318000 1958 -
342400 1966 - 386000 1975 - 425700
1951 - 321000 1959 - 345800 1967 - 393000 1976 - 429300
1952 - 323000 1960 - 350600 1969 - 398000 1977 - 434000
1953 - 326000 1961 - 355000 1970 - 401700 1978 - 437000
1954 - 333000 1962 - 360000 1971 - 407300 1979 - 443000
1955 - 336500 1963 - 365000 1972 - 411400 1980 - 448000
1956 - 338000 1964 - 372000 1973 - 415900 1981 - 451000
1957 - 339200 1965 - 379000 1974 - 420700 1982 - 455200
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CABLE
& SONS
These instruments are made of
good material and possess elements of great popularity. The
industry was established at Albany in 1852. and has been
active in New York City for a great many years and was
incorporated in 1923.
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CABLE,
HOBART M.,
[Made according
to specifications of H.M. Cable, Est. 1900.]
CABLE,
HOBART M. More than a hundred thousand
instruments bearing this name have been manufactured since
1911. The pianos are known for their musical excellence,
durability and attractive cabinet work. Instruments bearing
this name are manufactured by The Hobart M. Cable Co., Laporte, Indiana. The distinctive characteristics of the
Hobart M. Cable piano are remarkably sweet and pure tone
qualities combined with unusual power. The construction of
the piano is notable for its solidity and compactness and
for a number of superior features, which contribute to the
general excellence. The scale, which is the scientific basis
of quality in the Hobart M. Cable piano, is of the even,
unbroken and satisfying kind that appeals to the trained
musical ear. It is the inner secret of the great growth of
the Hobart M. Cable piano's fame. In a word, it may be said
that the Hobart M. Cable piano is a remarkable instrument,
possessing all of the essentials of a strictly high-grade
piano. , Purity and sweetness of tone, evenness of scale,
great durability, superb case designs in the richest of
woods, and high commercial value. Its reputation, now
impregnably secure, has extended from ocean to ocean and even
beyond the nation's boundaries. It is a piano high up between
the recognized leaders and one whose brilliant career has
already been fixed and whose future is secure. The
player-piano bearing the same name possesses all of the
admirable characteristics of the piano and may safely be
recommended. Hobart M. Cable reproducing piano is marked by
the same characteristics as the players and pianos with the
remarkable control and interpretive powers added.
1901-1900 1917-53000 1932-117000 1951-221000
1902-4400 1918-56200 1933-122500 1952-228000
1903-8700 1919-59800 1934-127000 1953-235000
1904-11500 1920-62500 1935-132000 1954-245000
1905-15300 1921-65100 1936-136000 1955-252000
1906-18000 1922-70000 1937-142500 1956-263000
1907-21000 1923-75000 1938-147000 1957-272000
1908-24000 1924-79500 1939-151600 1958-282000
1909-27400 1925-83600 1940-155000 1959-294000
1910-30900 1926-88000 1941-159000 1960-307000
1911-34000
1927-92600 1942-164000 1961-321000
1912-37000 1928-98000 1947-176000 1962-335000
1913-40000 1929-102600 1948-194000 1963-349000
1914-43500 1930-107000 1949-200000 1964-364000
1915-47200
1931-112000 1950-214000 1965-379000
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CABLE-NELSON PIANO CO.
Owned and controlled by the
Everett Piano Company, South Haven, Michigan, (listed in this
section). Cable-Nelson is the low-priced companion line to
the Everett. Since 1905, over a quarter of a million
Cable-Nelson pianos, bearing one of the most respected names
in American piano manufacturing have been produced in the
large Everett factory on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Historically, the story of the
origin of Cable-Nelson begins in Chicago in 1903 when Fayette
S. Cable, a distinguished leader in the piano industry at the
turn of the century, purchased two well established Chicago
piano companies: the Lakeside Piano Company and the Sweetland
Piano Company. These were merged into the Fayette S. Cable
Company.
Cable joined forces with H. P.
Nelson in 1905 to form the Cable-Nelson Piano Company.
Messrs. Cable and Nelson, widely planning for the future of
the company, sought to locate it in a fine, smaller community
where the tradition of building outstanding pianos could be
generated among the local working force and the standards of
quality and perfection in their concept of manufacture could
be insured. After surveying numerous mid-western localities,
they chose South Haven which had ideal industrial facilities.
From the very inception of the Cable-Nelson Company, Fayette
S. Cable set the course of the company's operation in the
direction of producing exceptionally fine pianos made of
carefully selected materials and crafted with superior
workmanship. And, starting out in a new manufacturing plant
designed and built for the express purpose of making pianos,
Cable rapidly proved his theory that the musical public would
quickly recognize the design, tone and durability of
Cable-Nelson pianos.
Historically, the story of the
origin of Cable-Nelson begins in Chicago in 1903 when Fayette
S. Cable, a distinguished leader in the piano industry at the
turn of the century, purchased two well established Chicago
piano companies: the Lakeside Piano Company and the Sweetland
Piano Company. These were merged into the Fayette S. Cable
Company.
Cable joined forces with H. P.
Nelson in 1905 to form the Cable-Nelson Piano Company.
Messrs. Cable and Nelson, widely planning for the future of
the company, sought to locate it in a fine, smaller community
where the tradition of building outstanding pianos could be
generated among the local working force and the standards of
quality and perfection in their concept of manufacture could
be insured. After surveying numerous mid-western localities,
they chose South Haven which had ideal industrial facilities.
From the very inception of the Cable-Nelson Company, Fayette
S. Cable set the course of the company's operation in the
direction of producing exceptionally fine pianos made of
carefully selected materials and crafted with superior
workmanship. And, starting out in a new manufacturing plant
designed and built for the express purpose of making pianos,
Cable rapidly proved his theory that the musical public would
quickly recognize the design, tone and durability of
Cable-Nelson pianos.
For the next two decades, the
company prospered and produced fine grand and upright pianos
that became proud possessions in homes all over the nation.
In 1926, the Cable-Nelson Piano Company merged its plant,
facilities and piano making with one of the greatest names in
the American music industry, the Everett Piano Company,
founded in Boston in 1883. When the two companies joined
forces, the principle of product dependability at low cost
was preserved in the Cable-Nelson line of pianos. And,
through all of its history, the Cable-Nelson has represented
one of this country's highest grades of pianos designed and
built to be sold at a modest price to bring an excellent
musical instrument to American families. Cable-Nelson cases
are designed by William H. Cliagman of Grand Rapids, one of
America 5 most noted furniture designers. From his drawing
board in the center of the greatest furniture producing area
of the country, Cliagman works in close association with the
production engineering specialists at the South Haven plant.
His objective always is freshness of design, together with
lasting good taste and dignity. The Cable-Nelson is available
in a variety of contemporary styles and light-to-dark
finishes.
Cable-Nelson was a name so
well established that it was to become the first rank of the
piano industry on the strength of the excellence of its
product and the high standard of its business policy. There
was a wide and constant growing demand on the part of the
average piano buyer for a thoroughly high-grade and
player-piano of real musical excellence. This demand to which
the Cable-Nelson Piano Co. had addressed itself from the very
beginning of its career, both to supply it and to foster it.
Its motto is "A real piano and a fair price." The
remarkable growth of the company bears witnesses to the
soundness of its policy and its success in carrying it out.
Its instruments were distinguished by their fine tone
quality, excellent work of case design and finish.
Cable-Nelson pianos embodied the characteristics of best
standards in the art of player construction. A piano-player
mechanism is most responsive and musically adequate, and the
tone quality just right for the best player results. The
Cable-Nelson factory is one of the most attractively located
in the trade, and the wonderful efficiency of its
organization and equipment is the cause of general comment.
The high financial and commercial standing of the company and
the reputation and experiences of its officers add to the
distinction of the excellent and reliable instrument.
1950 - 221000 1958 -
281700 1966 - 360000 1974 - 417000
1951 - 228000 1959 - 289800 1967 - 365000 1975 - 421000
Made by Yamaha after 1973
1952 - 235000 1960 -
300100 1968 - 372000 1976 - 424000
1953 - 241000 1961 - 311000 1969 - 381000 1977 - 426000
1954 - 247000 1962 - 321000 1970 - 390000 1978 - N/A
1955 - 254400 1963 - 329000 1971 - 398000 1979 - N/A
1956 - 263000 1964 - 347000 1972 - 403000 1980 - N/A
1957 - 272000 1965 - 354000 1973 - 412000 1981 - 427000
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CALISIA PIANOS
The Calisia piano and grand
piano factory were founded in 1878 in the city of Kalisz,
Poland. Calisia has a long and rich tradition of piano
manufacturing. Its 350 skilled craftsmen build about 5,000
upright and grand pianos annually. Calisia pianos are sold in
every country in Europe. They are also widely known and sold
in the Middle East, Africa, The Orient, and Australia. Each
Calisia piano is hand-made in the Old WorkI piano-building
tradition. Calisia pianos are not mass-produced. Each worker
is allowed extra time, if necessary, to finish the job to his
satisfaction. An enormous stock of wood, enough for the
production of pianos for the next ten years, is constantly
being refilled. All wood is seasoned outdoors for two years
and then is subjected to additional dry-kiln seasoning. The
result is a moisture content of five percent, which meets
an(l exceeds all North American standards.
Since Calisia pianos are made
the old, traditional way, all cabinet parts are made out of
solid wood. No particle board, flake-hoard, or other
imitation recycled by-products are ever used. In addition, no
inexpensive high-speed mold-injected plastic action parts are
ever used. Calisia's craftsmen prefer to build pianos with
tried an(l true methods of piano-making that have stood the
test of time. Calisia uses only premium all-wood actions with
a center rail made of densified beech hard-wood. Grand pianos
feature the famous Renner action from West Germany.
The upright models have a
"full perimeter" iron frame design. Due to this
extra-wide design, the frame an withstand and distribute the
tension much more evenly. In addition, this frame design
permits a narrower cabinet de-sign with a slimmer silhouette
which is not so "bulky looking" as some pianos.
Keys are individually lead-weighted and balanced to ensure
unformity of touch and response. All upright models feature
full or half-size toe blocks, castors, three working pedals,
fallboard lock, deluxe benches, solid brass hardware, and
other quality features. Calisia pianos have a full 30-year
warranty on the whole piano and are priced the same as
Korean-made pianos.
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CALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY
This company began
manufacturing two lines of pianos in 1979
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CAMILLERI PIANOS
A New Standard Of Excellence.
A new instrament, built in the old German tradition, is now
ava~able for the discerning musician. Designed and produced
by veteran piano craftsman Sam Camilleri, this 7 mahogany
instrumment was the first in a limited series of 50 pianos to
be built each year. The unique performance capabilities of
the JC-7 are attributable to what Camilleri calls, "The
most fantastic machine ever designed, the most perfect tool
ever invented, the human hand."
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J.
C. CAMPBELL
Manufactured by
Kohler
& Campbell, Inc., Fiftieth and Eleventh Ave.,
New York City. A well made a thoroughly reliable medium
priced piano, named after the late J. C. Campbell, a piano
maker of unquestioned skill. The J. C. Campbell piano was
first produced in 1900, and it has well sustained the fame of
the man whose name it bears. This piano has received a great
number of unsolicited testimonials, all attesting to
remarkable value at moderate prices.
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CAROLA INNER-PLAYER
This name is used exclusively
by The Cable Company to designate their
pneumatic players' mechanism embodied in the Carola and
Conover Carola Inner-Play Pianos. The Carola Inner-Player
pneumatic action represents the latest developments in
interior ph. mg mechanisms. An especially desirable feat is
the fact that all the various part which to make tip Carola
Inner Player- pianos is mainly the shops and plant of The
Cable Company thus providing for the most accurate adjustment
and the building up of the instrument as a solo unit. and not
as a collection of assembled parts maunder varying standards
of other factories. This construction is endorsed by ugh
musical authorities providing the means for the most artistic
rendition capable of the greatest expression and showing a
perfection and finish in workmanship that in itself is why
this company was the first to guarantee its play mechanism
for five years. These exclusive features of the Carola
Inner-Player mechanism which have contributed toward its
phenomenal success in the past few years, have been the
transposing device; pneumatic clutch unit motors; easy
running roil mechanism introduction of fibre in contact with
metal to eliminate rattles when playing by hand; counter
shaft running direct motor drive without the sounds of chains
when playing; a miniature keyboard on the pneumatic action
for procuring an exceptional responsive touch; metallic
construction of parts usual affected by atmospheric changes;
Solo-Aid Device which plays the solo or melody louder than
the accompaniment; four controlling levers: tempo indicators
close music sheet facilitating the following of marks the on;
cover for lever which also affords a comfort rest for the
wrists; sectional bellows construction easily disconnected
and removed to afford access to parts otherwise concealed;
slide valves transfixed by steel to prevent warping; easy
pedaling due to a patented leverage system; automatic Triplex
Pedal Device, which the pedals automatically released from a
returned to the case by the simplest possible movement. The
Carola Inner-Player action requiring a minimum of room,
permits the placement of a stronger back on the piano, thus
assuring durability.
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CHALLIS,
JOHN
Harpsichord and Clavichord
maker. 85 E. Vernor Hwy., Detroit Mich. Established in 1930.
The first to use cast aluminum for structural frames not
dependent on a substructure of wood. The first to use
combined Bakelite and aluminum wrestplanks in which
tuning-pins cannot come
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CHARLES R. WALTER PIANO CO.
In 1901 Webb Janssen produced the first
Janssen piano at his shop in New York. In 1964 Janssen was
purchased by C. G. Conn where extensive research and technological advancements in piano design and engineering
in the late 1960's resulted in the Janssen becoming the first
computer designed piano in the country.
Being an instrument of real musical expression, it must
also be an instrument of exceptional beauty, expressive of
the aesthetic values of the home in which it is placed. The
Janssen piano designers paid particular attention to
both traditional styling and the best furniture trends. Expert design is
then combined with careful and
painstaking craftsmanship to produce pianos with beauty
characteristic of the finest home furnishings.
In 1970, Mr. Charles R. Walter, who had played a major role
in the work done at Conn, purchased the company. The name was changed
to The Walter Piano Company. The Walter Piano Company continued to
manufacture Janssen Pianos until 1976. Mr. Walter's intention from
the very start was to combine technological advances with his own extensive
engineering background and mechanical ability to produce the finest quality pianos
available on the market. Upon taking control, Mr. Walter
immediately cut back production to insure careful attention
to detail and to quality standards. The company's growth
since that time has been specifically directed toward
improving and maintaining quality.
The latest results of these efforts are the all-new
Charles R. Walter Concert Console and Studio pianos. Mr.
Walter has given these pianos his own name as the
"Signature of Quality" in order to emphasize his
personal interest in assuring and maintaining the highest
quality in design and in production standards. These pianos introduced in the summer of 1975 are acclaimed as the finest quality vertical pianos on
the market today.
WALTER, Charles R.
1977 - 502200 1978 -
502630 1979 - 503275 1980 - 504025 1981 - 505000
1982 - 505660 1983 -
506430 1984 - 507400 1986 - 508800 1987 - 509730
1988 -
510920 1989 - 512300 1990 - 513700 1991 - 515100 1992 - 516400
1993 - 517700 1994 -
518850 1995 - 520050 1996 - 521250 1997 - 522600
1998 - 524050
1999 - 525500 2000 - 526550 2001 - 527700 2002 - 528650
CHICKERING & SONS.
Chickering & Sons
celebrated in 1923 the completion of a century of continuous
manufacture of the Chickering pianos. This illustrious firm,
the oldest piano house in the United States, has been at all
times in the forefront and has received world wide
recognition for its part in developing the pianoforte on
distinctive lines. Jonas Chickering, the founder, was born at
Mason Village, New Hampshire, in April 1796, where, after a
sound schooling, he thoroughly learned the business of
cabinetmaking. Impelled by a restless ambition to seek a
larger field, he went to Boston in his early twenties.
There he entered the factory
of a well-known piano maker of those days and pursued a
course of study in piano making in its then primitive stage.
It was not long before the genius of Jonas Chickering
manifested itself, and he introduced a series of changes and
improvements which have since become standard and which
revolutionized the methods then prevailing. His name from the
earliest times has been constantly linked with the
Americanizing of the piano by methods of such importance and
value that both America and Europe today admit their worth by
universal adoption. To him must be ascribed the invention of
the full iron plate for grand pianos recorded in 1837. This
invention was accepted by the scientific world as one of far
reaching importance; indeed, it proved to be the foundation
of all modern piano construction, for without it the sonorous
grands of today would not have been impossible. It
successfully solved the problem of the proper support for the
great strain of the strings and defined a new era in the
history of piano-making. In 1843, Jonas Chickering invented a
new deflection of the strings and in 1845 the first practical
method for over stringing in square pianos, that is, instead
of setting the strings side by side, substituting an
arrangement of them in two banks, one over the other, not
only saving space but bringing the powerful bass strings
directly over the most resonant part of the sound-board, a
principle which obtains to this day in the construction of
all pianos, both grands and uprights. Until the year 1852,
Jonas Chickering superintended each department of his
business with his usual scrupulous care but was relieved of
much of this responsibility upon his taking into partnership
his three sons, all of whom had received under their father a
practical training of the highest order. The genius of C.
Frank Chickering as a "scale" draftsman soon became
internationally know and acknowledged and to his extensive
scientific research is to be attributed much of the renowned
beauty of the Chickering tone. Not content with retaining
this invaluable knowledge himself he imparted the secrets of
his studies to those in the factory in whose gifts he had
confidence, thus insuring their perpetuation. In addition to
the many patents taken out by Jonas Chickering, his sons and
their successors, various methods exclusive to themselves
have also been employed and there are in constant use
operations of an abstract character which may be described as
mechanical subtleties possessing great value and which are an
integral part of the Chickering system.
The above outline of the
significant importance of the Chickering system will appeal
to the practical minded but to those who would know more of
the romance and charm which the Chickering story holds for
the student of America's musical development. The
significance and historic value of the Chickering in the
development of the pianoforte in America are seen in the
preservation at the Ford Museum at Dearborn of several
important Chickering including the very first instrument made
by Jonas Chickering in 1823. Others are: the first Chickering
upright made in 1830 and the first Chickering grand completed
prior to 1850. Chickering & Sons have received upwards of
200 first medals and awards. These have been received from
States and sovereigns, and international expositions and
learned societies in all parts of the world embracing every
known method of honoring distinguished merit. C. Frank
Chickering was personally vested with the Imperial Cross of
the Legion of Honor at the hands of Napoleon 111. The
significance of this high honor is the more appreciated
because of its extreme rarity, very few such honors having
been bestowed for accomplishments in the fine arts. In 1923
Chickering & Sons were the recipients of a remarkable
tribute from musicians and persons of prominence in all walks
of life who united in celebrating the Hundredth Anniversary
of the founding of Jonas Chickering's epoch making
enterprises. A committee headed by the Hon. Calvin Coolidge
(then Vice)President of the United States, carried to a
successful and brilliant conclusion what was termed the Jonas
Chickering Centennial Celebration, culminating in a banquet
held at the Copley Plaza, Boston, at which Mr. Coolidge was
the chief speaker. It marked in a most significant manner a
century of musical achievement that is without parallel in
the history of American piano making. The most famous
virtuosi including pianists, singers and instrumentalists
have exhausted superlatives in expressing their high
admiration of the Chickering. The Handel and Haydn Society of
Boston the world's foremost oratorio group, established 1815,
has used the Chickering exclusively for more than a century.
The grand and upright pianos
and the grands and uprights with the Ampico, which bear this
famous name, possess the distinction which belongs to the
oldest continuous piano industry in the United States. In the
year 1923 a nation wide observance of the Jonas Chickering
Centennial marked the completion of a full century of
artistic musical endeavor of the Chickering house. Calvin
Coolidge, then Vice President, was the principal speaker at
the banquet in Boston on April 21st. The founder of this
illustrious house was Jonas Chickering whose name is
inseparably associated with many of the most important piano
improvements of all time. He was born in Mason Village, N.
H., on April 17, 1759, and in his early twenties he went to
Boston. He had already learned thoroughly the cabinet making
trade, and his education had been thorough. He soon entered
the employ of the pioneers' piano maker of those days, and
began a course of serious study of the art which was to
engross his life. The genius of Jonas Chickering soon made
itself apparent and his industry kept pace. He revolutionized
the methods of piano building, and with the introduction of
his full iron plate, an advance of measureless importance,
laid the foundation of the recognition which has ever since
been accorded his name. So universally has the importance of
this improvement been recognized that pianos are no longer
made without it. It is but a short time back that the first
Chickering piano ever made was repurchased by the Boston
house and it is now in possession of the company, a source of
pride to the present management and of interest to all music
lovers. It illustrates the vast advance in piano building
between the early days of the piano and the massive concert
grands of today. In 1883 Jonas Chickering took into
partnership his three sons, all of whom had received a
practical training. C. Frank Chickering proved the inheritor
of his father's genius, and as a"scale' draftsman soon
became widely known. To his dimensional and correlated
studies are to be attributed much of the renowned beauty of
the Chickering tone. The secrets of this invaluable knowledge
he imparted to chiefs in the Boston factory, in whose gifts
he had confidence, thus insuring their perpetuation. Not only
were many patents taken out by Jonas Chickering, his sons and
their successors, but various methods exclusive to themselves
have also been employed, and there are in constant use
operations of an abstract character which maybe described as
mechanical subtleties which are an integral part of the
Chickering system. Chickering & Sons have been recipients
of upwards of 150 marks of distinction both in the United
States and Europe, in the form of diploma, gold medals, and
letters from learned bodies. C. Frank Chickering himself was
personally invested with the Imperial Cross of the Legion of
Honor by the hands of Napoleon III. Less than ten such honors
having been bestowed for accomplishment in the fine arts,
which fact adds significance to the distinction. Every
recognized means of showing marked appreciation has been
employed in all parts of the world. The most famous virtuosi
have exhausted eulogistic language In declaring their
admiration of the Chickering piano. But Chickering & Sons
have never rested upon laurels won. The Chickering of today
has kept pace with the exacting demands made upon the piano
by present day artists. During the present season the
Chickering Concert Grands are contributing to the aesthetic
success artists as Dohnanyi, Mirovitch, Schnitzer, Levinne,
and many others of the highest rank. Remarkable in employees.
There are men living who worked with Jonas Chickering, a long
life time of service which the house has been glad to honor.
There are also scores who have been engaged in the Chickering
departments for periods a running from 25 to nearly 50 years.
This implies loyalty and esprit de corps invaluable in this
art industry, and which is a reflection of its atmosphere.
The House of Chickering stands in unquestioned financial
strength and enjoys an integrity which has been its proud
possession from the beginning.
The list of pianists,
composers, and musicians who have since its inception used
and endorsed the Chickering piano is much to long to include
here. Several decades ago, this great house of pianos,
content with its already rich background of achievement on
the concert stage, turned its attention to the perfection of
the smaller piano. The Chickering is essentially a piano for
the home. Pianos of the highest degree of quality, both in
craftsmanship and materials, worthy of completely rebuilding
and refinishing.
1823 - 100 1940 - 167200
1964 - 219221 1974 - 235824
1850 - 10000 1943 - 179500 1965 - 221117 1975 - 237578
1905 - 105000 1947 - 187000 1967 - 224943 1977 - 240626
1910 - 115000 1950 - 195000 1968 - 226928 1978 - 242694
1919 - 130000 1955 - 204000 1969 - 228651 1979 - 244266
1920 - 132500 1960 - 212750 1970 - 230300 1980 - 245989
1925 - 139700 1961 - 214527 1971 - 231317 1981 - 247477
1930 - 148400 1962 - 216488 1972 - 232410 1982 - 248500
1935 - 155200 1963 - 217830 1973 - 234059 July 22, 1982
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CHICKERING,
JONAS
Built by Wurlitzer owned by
Baldwin. Entry level pianos during late 1980's, early 1990's.
1986 -
1885000 1988 - 2002000 1990 - 2080001 1987 - 1935000
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CAMBRIDGE
Popular pianos and p
layer-pianos, manufactured by the Cambridge Piano Co., 89
Southern Boulevard, New York City, which makes also a
specialty of pianos and player-pianos but 3 ft. 9 in. and 4
ft. 3 in height. These attractive uprights' height perfectly
the requirements of schools and apartment houses. They are
instruments of admirable qualities in every way and are sold
at prices within reach of the American householder. The
styles are designated as zero and F respectively.
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CARTER
Pianos, players, grands,
electric and reproducing piano bearing this name are
manufactured in a well-equipped factory at 632 W. 51st St.,
New York City, and are possessed of extraordinary tone
qualities. They are made by skilled workmen of the finest
materials obtainable, and have established a reputation for
themselves as honestly built, reliable pianos of exceptional
value.
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CHASE
BROTHERS
The high grade production of
the Chase Hackley Piano Co., of Muskegon, Mich. An artistic
instrument whose wide fame has been won by years of striving
to attain to the perfection of an ideal American piano. The
history of the "Chase Bros." Piano dates back more
than 62 years. From the first there has been but one aim so
far as the quality of the instrument is concerned. There has
been nothing spared to bring the "Chase Bros."
Piano to the highest point of perfection, and as a necessary
consequence the cost of the instrument is proportionate to
that of the other first class instruments. Chase Brothers
pianos are made in artistic grands and uprights of most
approved models. They contain a number of patented features
and they are manufactured by the most skilled workmen. Refer
to Chase- Hackley Piano Co.
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CHASE,A.B.
Established in 1885. This is
an honored name in the annals of music in America, being
closely associated with the love and development of music in
the American home. A.B. Chase pianos have always been known
for splendid workmanship. The A.B. Chase baby grand in fair
condition is worth rebuilding at a considerable cost.
The A. B. Chase piano factory
was established in 1875 and produces the highest grade pianos
both in uprights and grands. The A. B. Chase pianos are also
equipped with the Cello Reproducing Medium. The policy of
this factory' has long been that no material is too good a
piano no skilled labor too expensive if it will improve the
A. B. Chase piano. All pianos manufactured from 1875 to 1922
were completely hand made from the finest materials available
during that era. An A.B. Chase piano took as long as two
years to complete. All A.B. Chase pianos are worthy of
rebuilding. Pianos from the earlier time 1875 to 1922 are
exceptional.
1900 - 42000 1910 - 54000
1920 - 62000 1930 - 72000
Vertical & Grand
Pianos After 1960 Made by Aeolian:
1965 - 928000 1970 -
146000 1975 - 177000 1980 - 208700
1966 - 109700 1971 - 153400 1976 - 185900 1981 - 214200
1967 - 119400 1972 - 160600 1977 - 189000 1982 - 221200
1968 - 132800 1973 - 167600 1978 - 194000
1969 - 140300 1974 - 171800 1979 - 201500
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CHASE
& BAKER
Est. 1900. Buffalo, New York
CHASSAIGNE, FRERES (Bros),
Calle
Valencia 70, Barcelona, Spain. Est. 1864.
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CHRISTMAN
One of the old and reputable
names in the American piano industry, Christman pianos,
player-pianos and grand pianos are everywhere recognized as
instruments of a high grade and they are commended b a large
number of the foremost piano merchants throughout the world.
The Christman "Studio" grand has made a noteworthy
success. It is but 5 feet long but p05 uses tone power
comparable with the effects of the larger instruments. The
Christman slogan of "The First Touch Tells"
(registered), has become familiar in musical circles for
being suggestive of the attractive tone quality of the
instruments. The Christman Reproducing Grand is a recognized
triumph in piano manufacture. The Christman Studio Grand
holds an enviable place among the dainty little instruments
of the grand design. It possesses a powerful tone of most
agreeable resonance and it is one of the most successful
instruments with trade and public.
1900 - 11000 1916 - 25000
1921 - 34000 1927 - 39900
1905 - 15000 1917 - 26800 1923 - 37800 1928 - 40300
1915 - 23500 1920 - 32000 1925 - 39000 1929 - 41000
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CECILIAN
Name of a famous pioneer
player-piano of the highest grade which presents very
scientific and indestructible features. This instrument is
described in the article or the Bush & Lane instruments
on a preceding page to which refer. The Cecilian is capable
of absolutely perfect expression, and it is representative of
the most advanced ideas in player mechanism. It has been
before the world for a good many years and is claimed to be
the first of the players.
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CELLO
This is the name given to the
reproducing players' mechanism installed in the A. B. Chase,
Emerson and Lindeman & Sons' pianos, which are controlled
by the United Piano Corporation. The Cello Reproducing Medium
reproduces the work of such artists as Paderewski, Hoffmann,
Bauer. Gabrilowitsch and hundreds of others of worldwide fame
with an accuracy of technique and expression which is
impossible to distinguish from the work of the living
performer. The pianos in which the Cello Reproducing Medium
is installed are the A. B. Chase, the Emerson, and the
Lindeman & Sons. The Cello Reproducing Medium is operated
by an elec. trip motor making foot pumping unnecessary. It
can also be used as a player piano, using the regular
eighty-eight note player rolIs. It is embodied in both
upright and grand pianos.
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CHRISTIE & CO.
Named for Jacob Christie,
formerly of B. Bogart & Co., succeeded by the
Bogart
Piano Co., and made by that industry with the
factory at 185th St. and Willow Ave New York,
Pianos of good quality by a reliable firm.
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CHURCHILL
well-made pianos,
player-pianos and grand pianos bear this name. They are the
products of the Hartford Piano Co., of
Chicago, and they have a very large sale because of their
beauty and moderate prices.
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CLARENDON
Grand pianos, reproducing
pianos, player pianos and upright pianos bearing this now
distinguished name, are recognized as among the thoroughly
representative types of artistic American instruments. In
tone, both as to power and the delicate gradations of
expression, these pianos are recognized among pianists as
models and their development has been made possible by skill
and the uniformity of methods which belong to well-equipped
industries of the modern kind. There is a quality in the
Clarendon that at once asserts itself and without which no
instrument can achieve success of the larger kind. The depth
and breadth of the tonal values of the graceful, and now
famous, Clarendon grands are quickly recognized. The
Clarendon player. Piano is peculiarly strong in its musical
and material attainments. It is equipped with an improved
pneumatic action of peculiar sensitiveness, and it presents
special points of excellence which are appreciated by the
most critical. The Clarendon reproducing grands and uprights
are representative of the latest forward step in the art of
making the piano the most playable and most enjoyable musical
instrument for the home. The degree of perfection in
expression attained never fails to enthuse the music lover.
1910 - 33100 1923 - 100000
1925 - 106600 1928 - 115900
1915 - 64000 1924 - 102400 1926 - 109000 1930 - 117000
See: HADDORFF
AND KARL ZECK
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CONCORD
Pianos and player-pianos of
dependability and attractive qualities which bear this name
were manufactured in Chicago for many years, until the
industry of Mr. Geo. P. Bent was secured by a large
corporation with the factory in Louisville. The Geo. P.Bent
Company operates a large plant and produces other piano
brands.
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CONNOR,
FRANCIS
Pianos and player-pianos of
fine quality are manufactured by Mr. Francis Connor, whose
factory is at 184th S. Cypress Ave., New York. Mr. Connor Is
an expert In piano construction.
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CONWAY
Pianos bearing this well
-known name first appeared in the winter of l905. In November
1925, the control of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.
of Boston, which had marketed the Conway
instruments, was acquired by the Premier Grand Piano
Corporation, and the Conway up right pianos and
players are now produced in the factories of Jacob
Doll & Sons, New' York. Conway Pianos are In
every way beautiful and dependable by Jacob Doll
& Sons.
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CONOVER Est. 1885.
This was a high grade of piano
manufactured by J. Frank Conover who was considered by many
one of the worlds great piano makers. Located in the heart of
piano country, Mr. Frank Conover devoted more than forty
years of his life to the study of a single problem - tone.
The Conover scale design is still imitated by many factories.
A Conover piano is worth rebuilding as an investment quality
piano. Pianos of the highest type, first made in 1885 by
Frank Conover, an expert of international distinction, were
later manufactured by The Cable Company, of Chicago. In
making the Conover piano The Cable Company kept constantly in
view the highest requirements of the artistic piano and
successfully strives to meet the growing demand for an
instrument to fill the place created by the trend of modern
times and recent musical developments. The Conover piano is
distinctly a modern instrument whose fame is secure because
of the unchallenged artistic merit that sustains it. It is a
piano in which are embodied principles that have by
experience been proven to be the foundation of superior tone
quality, and it is made in accordance with the most advanced
ideas of piano construction. It possesses all of the
requirements demanded by the most exacting pianists and its
use in the concert room is a feature of the musical world. It
is a frequent remark among critics of the piano that the
Conover scale represents the highest attainment in the art of
tone production. It is a scale of absolute accuracy, by which
the peculiarly even, sympathetic, yet powerful musical
character of the Conover pianos is insured. With the Conover,
as with only the highest types of pianos, it is possible to
render the finest gradations of tone color and to attain a
tone of perfect purity, sweetness and resonance. Of course,
in a piano of this character the important matter of
durability enters largely. The Conover is a piano of solid
construction. The back and frame are of such strength that
the enormous "pull" of the strings produces not the
least "give." The pin block is built in layers of
quarter sawn hard rock maple, the grain of each layer running
transversely to that of its neighbor and these pianos' stand
in tune for a remarkable period of time. In the important
matter of the action the Conover is no less well equipped.
Every one of the several thousand parts of the Conover piano
action is made and adjusted with all the care which fulfills
every requirement of merit of prompt response, agreeable
"feeling" and elasticity. And in the construction
of the Conover grand pianos there are also features of
peculiar interest to scientific pianists. The grand rims are
continuous and are made of separate layers of wood bent into
permanent shape. These rims typify strength and, of course,
conform to the shape of the grand plate. The Conover grand
piano has received the enthusiastic Endorsement of a large
number of the famous pianists whose appearance in concert
give added prominence to the piano upon which they prove
their powers. The patented sounding board and frame
construction in the small grand model is part of an improved
construction designed to maintain the proper curvature of the
sounding board, so necessary to preserve the original tonal
beauty of the instrument. Instruments having this
construction bear the trademark "Crown Stay." In a
recent publication devoted to descriptions of the various
styles of Conover pianos there are portraits of some of the
most renowned pianists and vocalists accompanied by words of
commendation. A reading of these letters is alone a lesson in
piano appreciation and must impress the reader with the
character of the artistic Conover piano. Conover grand pianos
are made in several sizes. The small Grand and parlor grand
having attained great popularity among piano buyers of the
higher class. The Conover Reproducing Grand unites the
artistic Conover Grand with a perfected reproducing action
that is exclusively Cable. This is a reproducing piano that
is simple in construction, positive in action and trouble
proof. Correctly Sized for the small home or apartment with
the reproducing action completely concealed. The Conover
Reproducing Grand is graceful and attractive in appearance
and conforms to every detail with the high ideals The Cable
Company has always maintained for the artistic Conover. In
the upright the Conover Art Carola Inner-Player the Conover
piano equipped with the famous Inner-Player action. The
Conover Solo Carola Inner-Player is the Conover piano
equipped with the celebrated Solo Carola Inner-Player action.
The value of a Conover piano, or a Conover-Cable piano is
equal to that of a Mason & Hamlin, Chickering, Knabe, and
in most cases to that value of a Steinway.
1960 - 350600 1962 -
360000 1964 - 372000 1961 - 355000
1963 - 365000 1965 - 379000
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CONOVER-CABLE
Conover and Cable consolidated
in 1890 to make pianos using all patents and designs of J.
Frank Conover. The original cable piano not only had the best
qualities that distinguished it as an instrument of high
standing, but had superior qualities by construction and
design to produce good results. Cable studio pianos were for
many years the most acceptable piano in America for schools
because they exceeded the specifications by every standard
and were made to withstand the tremendous number of hours
required by schools. The schools of this time period
purchased all pianos, and they were not payoffs for
endorsements, advertising or other commercial uses.
1950 - 318000 1958 -
342400 1966 - 386000 1975 - 425700
1951 - 321000 1959 - 345800 1967 - 393000 1976 - 429300
1952 - 323000 1960 - 350600 1969 - 398000 1977 - 434000
1953 - 326000 1961 - 355000 1970 - 401700 1978 - 437000
1954 - 333000 1962 - 360000 1971 - 407300 1979 - 443000
1955 - 336500 1963 - 365000 1972 - 411400 1980 - 448000
1956 - 338000 1964 - 372000 1973 - 415900 1981 - 451000
1957 - 339200 1965 - 379000 1974 - 420700 1982 - 455200
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CLARITONE
The name adopted by
Adam
Schaaf, Inc., for the perfectly reliable pianos and
player-pianos made by that industry. All instruments from the
industry named may be depended upon as reliable in every way.
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CHUTE
& BUTLER
Company made pianos and
players, formerly made at Peru, Indiana, is now manufactured
by the Schiller Piano Company, Oregon,
Illinois. The Chute & Butler instruments had won a good
place when the Schiller Company purchased
the scales, patterns and trade name and has been
manufacturing the Chute& Butler piano and player- piano
since September 1, 1920. The original scales of the Chute
& Butler pianos have been continued and many changes and
improvements have enabled the Schiller Company to hold
original patrons and add man y new representatives to the
list.
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CLAVIOLA
The name applied to admirable
interior player pianos made by the Claviola Company,
of New York, which industry is controlled by Kindler
& Collins.
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CONTINENTAL
The Continental Piano
Co. was originally incorporated in 1912, but the
business name and good will was bought several years later by
the Jesse French & Sons Piano Co. of New
Castle, Ind., who have since made and marketed pleasing and
durably constructed instruments under this name. They are
instruments of attractive character and are guaranteed by an
industry of unquestionable responsibility. The instruments
make a strong appeal and have become favorites in piano
showrooms and private homes.
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CONRAD
Conrad
pianos
and player-pianos were manufactured by the Kreiter
Mfg. Co., at their plant in Marinette, Wis. The name
Conrad stands for beauty in design, a sweet ness of tone and
reliability. The factory is a model of efficiency and is
equipped with the latest and best machinery with which to
manufacture good instruments. The factory at Marietta, Wis. ,
is one of the finest and best equipped in the Northwest. The
Conrad piano is a piano noted for its beautiful design and
peculiar sweetness of tone. The Conrad pianos are made in
several very attractive styles, including grands, upright and
pneumatic player-pianos, all of attractive designs.
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CREIGHTON
Instruments of durable
character bearing this name are produced by Walter S.
Pierce Co San Francisco.
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CROWN
Pianos which became famous by
this name were for many years manufactured by the industry
controlled by Mr. Geo. P. Bent of Chicago. The
Geo.
P. Bent Co. is now owned by the Adler Mfg.
Co., of Louisville, Ky., which industry is now
producing the "Crown" piano.
Crown pianos by Crown
Before 1960:
1900 - 15000 1920 - 72300
1930 - 102500 1940 - 198000
1905 - 33000 1927 - 89000 1933 - 118000 1947 - 243000
1910 - 50000 1928 - 94000 1936 - 153000 1948 - 250000
1915 - 64000 1929 - 98000 1939 - 190000 1949 - 254000
Crown Pianos Made by
Aeolian After 1960:
1960 - 364200 1966 - 397700 1972 - 420500 1978 - 440000
1961 - 370700 1967 - 401500 1973 - 424900 1979 - 444000
1962 - 376900 1968 - 405200 1974 - 430300 1980 - 446900
1963 - 383100 1969 - 407500 1975 - 433400 1981 - 449700
1964 - 387900 1970 - 410900 1976 - 436900 1982 - 452400
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COINOLA
Electric pianos and
orchestrions of this name are manufactured by the Operators
Piano Co., Inc., of Chicago. Their instruments are coin
controlled and they are thoroughly well made, musical and
representative. For public places they are unsurpassed and
they have won a foremost place among coin operated
instruments. Factories at 715 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago, Ill.
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CUNNINGHAM
An attractive and popular
piano manufactured by the Cunningham Piano Co. whose factory
was at forty ninth. Parkside Ave. and Viola St. and showrooms
at 1101 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. The Cunningham piano
is popular in its home city, Philadelphia, and throughout the
states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. A Cunningham
piano is worthy of rebuilding as an investment
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CURRIER
1965 - 1000 1968 - 16000
1971 - 31000 1974 - 49500
1966 - 6000 1969 - 21000 1972 - 36500 1975 - 56000
1967 - 11500 1970 - 26500 1973 - 42500 1976 - 63000
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CURTIS
The name of the popular pianos
of the Jewett Piano Co. Leominster, Mass. Curtis pianos are
guaranteed to he instruments of excellence. Tone quality and
responsive action conforming to particular requirements are
tests of a piano. Curtis pianos meet these tests. The scale
is the result of more than sixty ears of study and experiment
in progressive piano making. Curtis pianos are sold
throughout New England by M. Steinert & Sons.
Boston.
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