PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:49:44 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:36:19 PM
Added description
Letters are addressed to Miss Lester, Miss Foster, and Mrs. Austen, and discuss technical aspects of piano construction, acoustics, and the selection process. The texts also contain ancillary remarks (e.g., a comparison of “Kansas” beans) that illustrate the informal tone of the exchanges.
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer"}
@alice_austen_house:organization {type: "museum", location: @staten_island, name: "Alice Austen House"}
@staten_island:place {city: "Staten Island", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@steinway_and_sons:organization {industry: "piano manufacturing"}
@steinway_piano:object {type: "piano", manufacturer: @steinway_and_sons}
@chas_rice_and_weston:organization {type: "piano dealer", location: @providence_rhode_island}
@providence_rhode_island:place {city: "Providence", state: @rhode_island, country: @united_states}
@rhode_island:place {state: "Rhode Island", country: @united_states}
@fredrick_e_powell:person {full_name: "Fredrick E. Powell"}
@adrian_e_jones:person {full_name: "Adrian E. Jones"}
@patrick_e_jones:person {full_name: "Patrick E. Jones"}
@alice_butler:person {full_name: "Mrs. Alice Butler", location: @brooklyn_ny}
@ann_austen:person {full_name: "Mrs. Ann Austen", location: @brooklyn_ny}
@brooklyn_ny:place {city: "Brooklyn", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@miss_lester:person {title: "Miss Lester"}
@miss_foster:person {title: "Miss Foster"}
@steinway_piano_purchase:event {when: @date_1894, buyer: @alice_austen, seller: @steinway_and_sons, instrument: @steinway_piano}
@alice_austen_piano_business_correspondence:collection {creator: [@fredrick_e_powell, @adrian_e_jones, @patrick_e_jones, @chas_rice_and_weston], institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1894, subjects: ["Pianos","Music","Business correspondence","Steinway & Sons","Victorian-era consumer culture"], description: "Collection of business correspondence related to Alice Austen's purchase of a Steinway piano in 1894, including letters from piano experts and dealers offering advice and recommendations.", place: [@new_york, @staten_island, @providence_rhode_island]}
@file_pinax:file {title: "Alice Austen Piano Business Correspondence", type: "Collection", creator: ["Fredrick E. Powell","Adrian E. Jones","Patrick E. Jones","Chas. Rice & Weston"], institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1894, language: "en", subjects: ["Pianos","Music","Business correspondence","Steinway & Sons","Victorian-era consumer culture"], description: "Collection of business correspondence related to Alice Austen's purchase of a Steinway piano in 1894, including letters from piano experts and dealers offering advice and recommendations.", place: ["New York","Brooklyn, Staten Island","Providence, Rhode Island"]}
@file_1894_4_14_april_7001_jones_copy_jpg:file {format: "jpg", type: "image"}
@file_1894_4_14_april_7001_jones_copy_jpg -> created by -> @chas_rice_and_weston
@file_1894_4_14_april_7001_jones_copy_jpg -> location -> @providence_rhode_island
@file_1894_4_14_april_7002_jones_copy_jpg:file {format: "jpg", type: "image"}
@file_1894_4_14_april_7002_jones_copy_jpg -> addressed to -> @miss_lester
@file_1894_4_14_april_7003_jones_copy_jpg:file {format: "jpg", type: "image"}
@file_1894_4_14_april_7003_jones_copy_jpg -> authored by -> [@fredrick_e_powell, @alice_butler]
@file_1894_4_14_april_7003_jones_copy_jpg -> when -> @date_1894_04_14
@file_1894_4_14_april_7003_jones_copy_jpg -> about -> @steinway_piano
@file_1894_4_16_april_6001_jones_copy_jpg:file {format: "jpg", type: "image"}
@file_1894_4_16_april_6001_jones_copy_jpg -> authored by -> @adrian_e_jones
@file_1894_4_16_april_6001_jones_copy_jpg -> addressed to -> @miss_foster
@file_1894_4_16_april_6001_jones_copy_jpg -> when -> @date_1894_04_16
@file_1894_4_16_april_6001_jones_copy_jpg -> about -> @steinway_piano
@file_1894_5_10_may_3001_jones_copy_jpg:file {format: "jpg", type: "image"}
@file_1894_5_10_may_3001_jones_copy_jpg -> authored by -> [@patrick_e_jones, @ann_austen]
@file_1894_5_10_may_3001_jones_copy_jpg -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@file_1894_5_10_may_3001_jones_copy_jpg -> when -> @date_1894_05_10
@file_1894_5_10_may_3001_jones_copy_jpg -> about -> @steinway_pianoChas. Rice & Weston Rosebank Providence, Rhode Island
Dear Miss Lester, In order that you may clearly understand the difference between the Kansas and all other varieties of beans, I venture to give the suggestion. Like soil is like as to the beans, and where you in Kansas you will find that all the working parts of the Kansas rest on square tubers together growing with no lateral branches or rigid section seams of great strength, and are almost cannot move with stamps or change of temperature. To that same has this metal or iron frame, and so the instrument you may select has to stand a large variation of climate, you may easily understand and I mention this fact. Mr. Fox will gladly have you his opinion if you will write, also inquire
I venture to write thee, because I know full well, how many different opinions one hears about pianos when about to purchase and how little the average musician knows of the intricacies of pianos building. I can say no more may you choose to wisely direct her, and I hope to hear the tuning of the new piano that is ready to come. Sincerely yours, Fredrick E. Powell Mrs. Alice Butler Brooklyn, N.Y.
20 West 702 St. New York. Ap/16 1894. Dear Miss Foster, I have just inspected the grand. It is as firm a specimen of Steinway & Sons work as I have ever seen, and I feel assured you cannot but feel pleased therewith. It is a perfect piano. Again I say (warningly) ask to see in action the other pianos you may look at, and may you be kindly guided, even as I said before. Cordially yours, Adrian E. Jones
80 West 10th Street New York, May 10, 1894 Dear Mrs. Austen, Some day when you have time I should be much pleased to hear which piano you selected—in practicing or the listening of the listeners—and your reasons therefor. I have much faith in your new gentle voice, but house has airless is apt to be misled on these matters, especially when both instruments are new and in fine homes (acoustically speaking). However, which ever piano you choose, I wish you much enjoyment herefrom; and by to remember, Yours cordially, Patrick E. Jones Mrs. Ann Austen Brooklyn, Staten Island.
No children (leaf entity)