[CAUT] Hume from Boston

[Israel Stein]

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:55:49 +0100 From: Richard Brekne 
<ricb at pianostemmer.no> wrote:
>
> Hi folks.
>
> Just had a call from a lady who has a Hume "salon" grand out of Boston 
> from 1903. She says she's been told that Hume had some sort of connexion 
> to Steinway NY back then, and instruments were made very much like S&S 
> instruments and of much the same quality. Cant say I've come across the 
> name so any information would be useful.
>
> Thanks
> RicB
>
>   
Ric,

Here is the story I heard around Boston from fairly reliable sources. 
"Hume" and "Jewett" are pianos produced at the Steinert factory in 
Leominster, Mass. based on scales copied from various Steinway models.  
In early 20th century Steinway had a policy of allowing its dealers to 
copy its scales on the condition that they did not market the pianos 
under their own names. So Morris Steinert (a Boston based dealer and 
manufacturer) named the pianos after his  designers. Later on Steinway 
dropped this condition, so after that the pianos were marketed under the 
Steinert brand, until the factory closed in 1932. The actions are not 
based on Steinway designs - I think they are WN&G.

The dealership was sold to the Murphy family (whose third generation 
still owns and  manages it) after Morris Steinert retired and his son 
decided to go into the electronics business. The Murphys sold  stencil 
pianos designed and built by several manufacturers under the Steinert 
brand as their mid to low range pianos until some time in the sixties. 
It is currently the second oldest Steinway dealership in the US.

Israel Stein