Jesse French Piano Manu. Sales Tool - a story.

[Clyde Hollinger]

Doug,

It does sound to me like a rather unique item, but there is the possibility that
it could get passed on some day to a family member who has no appreciation for
it.  Have you considered suggesting to the owner that at some time in the future
he may wish to donate it to the PTG museum at the home office?  Just a thought.

Regards,
Clyde

Paul wrote:

> Doug
> Some how I think copies of these slides (into photos) would be of value. I
> wish I was better at remembering the historians we have in PTG. Maybe some
> one will post their names. I, for one, would like to see those pictures.
> There seems to be an over abundance of Jesse's in my area.
>
> Paul Chick
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Douglasmahard@AOL.COM>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 7:03 PM
> Subject: Jesse French Piano Manu. Sales Tool - a story.
>
> > Hi List:
> > A customer of mine whose father once had a small music store sold Jesse
> > French pianos.  After finishing my work on his piano he told me he had
> > something to show me.  He presented me with a small case, 9"x 5"x 2",
> covered
> > in brown snake skin naugahyde with a gold latch/lock set.  Inside the
> velvet
> > lined case was a 3-D viewer with 10 color slides taken at the Jesse French
> > factory in New Castle, Indiana.  Also included were 7 color slides of
> their
> > product line, plus an explanation sheet listing the description for each
> > slide.  The store owner had written down the prices next to the
> description
> > of the pianos, $820 to $1,715 for Mahogany 5' 2" grand.
> >
> > There is an aerial photo of the factory with cars in the lot that look to
> be
> > 1920-30's.  Other factory shots show how curved panels are molded,
> stringing
> > operation, filing hammers, back construction... all sorts of people
> clearly
> > visible in almost every factory shot including some women on the line.
> Each
> > picture is incredibly clear and the whole package has more quality in it
> then
> > Jesse ever put in their pianos.  This thing is really cool.  The owner let
> me
> > borrow it so I could bring it to the next CT chapter meeting for show and
> > tell :)
> >
> > Doug Mahard
> >