----- 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
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC