Best Buys in the Used piano Market

[Tom Driscoll]

Subject: Re: Best Buys in the Used piano Market


> Steinert Pianos from Boston were pretty good copies of Mason & Hamlins.  I
> have only seen 2 of them'
> James
> James Grebe

James,
    Respectfully,  the Steinert-Hume- Jewett were copies of various Steinway 
models not Masons.They do have the W.N.G. actions as did Mason of the same 
era. We see bunches of them here in Ma.


Often nice but sometimes with some wacky key leading.
Best wishes,

Tom Driscoll

FYI ---This from the web:

In 1901, Morris Steinert began manufacturing pianos primarily to prove the 
efficacy of the Steinertone piano, a piano he had designed.

This piano was a good copy of Steinway! Steinway sued Steinert for copyright 
infringements. The judgment that came down was that Steinert was still 
allowed to produce a set number of pianos each year.

After the court ruling in 1903, Steinert decided to start building pianos 
with the Hume name; same piano, same action, different design on cast iron 
plate. In 1903, he purchased two piano factories in Leominster, 
Massachusetts--the Woodbury Piano Company and the Jewett Piano Factory--and 
began manufacturing his own line of pianos. Because he was still a Steinway 
dealer, Steinway forbade him to use his own name on his pianos for fear of 
branding confusion. Thus the pianos he manaufactured were named A. M. Hume 
after Archibald Hume, Steinert's general manager. The Jewett and Woodbury 
names were also used, as well as some others.

After a surprise audit in 1916, it was discovered that Hume was embezzling 
money from M. Steinert & Sons, and Hume was promptly fired. Not wanting to 
name his pianos after a thief, Steinert requested and was granted permission 
from Steinway to use the Steinert name on his pianos. Pianos with the 
Steinert name were manufactured in Leominster from 1916 until 1932, when the 
factories were closed for financial reasons.


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