Aeolian crap

[Thomas A. Sheehan]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robin Hufford" <hufford1@airmail.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2003 4:13 AM
Subject: Re: Aeolian crap


> Hello Gordon,
>      In 1907 Chickering and Knabe were merged, along with the interests
> of some investors, into a larger unit called the American Piano
> Company.  The two surviving Knabes who had sold their interest in Knabe
> & Sons then formed a new company called Knabe Brothers.  It failed the
> next year.

< Major Snip >
< End of Major Snip>

>  Anyway, there is a building in New
> York called the American Piano Building, on 57th street.  At the top of
> the building one can seen inlaid on a large scale in tile, the plate
> decal we are all familiar with on the Chickering pianos of the period.
> Regards. Robin Hufford

Comment:

And on the 2nd floor of this building is a small and beautiful modern piano
showroom, showing and selling the modern Chickering, et. al, as well as its
principal product line: Yamaha.

The building's address is:

29 W. 57th Street - between 5th and 6th Ave.
New York, NY 10019

The resident dealer is Frank & Camille's of New York, one of the largest
Yamaha dealers in the US. Happily, the merchandising and overall
presentation of the pianos is capably handled. Alex Appel, one of our most
recent RPTs, is the technical "master of the house." The NYC Chapter held
meetings there from time to time, with generous support from the dealer.

The building itself is somewhat narrow (maybe 30 - 40 feet or so), and
covered in white limestone which is reasonably clean - not a bad state of
affairs given the amount of diesel fumes from buses, trucks, etc. The lobby
is a rich, gold marble. The elevators are modern, but blend slightly into
the original design scheme. It's next to New York's most exclusive popular
bookstore - Rizzoli's - and a block and a half away from S&S, Inc., which is
across 6 Ave. at which is at 107 W. 57th Street, NY, NY 10019. This is where
the famous "basement" is located, as well as the small Concert Hall, used
mainly for selling. The seats are simply portable folding chairs that are
set up whenever there's a concert. If it's a large affair - e.g., a
Juilliard's "New York debut", then extra seating and catering services are
hired. So, the sense of the word "Hall" as in "Steinway Hall" implies a
multifunction room, not a fixed seat - row & aisle plan.

Frank & Camille's are doing a very respectable job for their product lines,
as is Steinway for theirs. I often pass by either or both locations in the
course of a day's work here in the Apple! If you contact them directly, one
can ordinarily drop in to either place and look at the pianos and marketing
displays.

Tom Sheehan, RPT
New York City Chapter