A wonderful piece in my collection is an advertising cover from The Sterling Organ Company. While I primarily feature musical stamps on this blog with some of my thoughts and research, I also like to feature other pieces from my collection. On this blog, you can find previous articles about a 1819 stampless cover, a Civil War adversity cover, and a zeppelin cover. In addition, I really appreciate the beauty of old advertising covers. You can check out articles about covers from the Chickering piano company and the A. M. Ordway music dealership, among others.
This post features another advertising cover, this one from a maker of reed (or pump) organs. What is particularly wonderful is that this cover, attractive in its own right, comes with several enclosures. There is a letter, a color advertising card, and a two-sided pamphlet. It is exciting because altogether it helps to tell a story about how musical instrument dealers and manufacturers did business in the late nineteenth century.
The Sterling Organ Company
Charles A. Sterling founded the Sterling Organ Company in Derby, Connecticut in 1873. He purchased the Birmingham Organ company of Birmingham, CT, in 1871 for thirty thousand dollars. He moved the company to Derby and changed the name two years later. While the manufacturing facility was in Derby, Sterling used E. H. McEwen & Company as the primary display room and sales managers for the firm. McEwen had a location at No. 9 west 14th street in Manhattan and this was the primary place to purchase a Sterling organ.
In 1885, the company began to make pianos. The popularity of their pianos caused the company to grow and would lead to a change in the name by the early twentieth century. Now, the Sterling Piano Company, established corporate headquarters in Brooklyn, while manufacturing organs in Derby and pianos in Shelton, Connecticut. Eventually, the organs fell from the company product line.
The company was known for high quality instruments and they sold their instruments worldwide. At one point, they had a high profile display room in London. However, by the 1930s, with the economic pressures of the Great Depression, the company merged with the Winter Piano Company and the Sterling name was retired completely in the 1960s. Learn more.
The Cover
The cover is very attractive with an extremely ornate image of a stately reed organ on the left. Above it in large letters is “The Sterling Organ.” Below, the return address for E. H. McEwen & Company in Manhattan. The cover is addressed to William Canfield Esquire of Canaan Valley, CT. It bears a 1 cent gray Benjamin Franklin (Scott Number 206) stamp from the 1881-1888 American Bank Note re-engraved series. As advertising material, this envelope and its contents was third-class mail, costing only a single penny to send.
The postmark is a double oval stamp used on non-first class mail with the letter C denoting the station. According to an 1882 Postal guide for the City, station C was at 583 Hudson street.
The Letter
The letter inside the envelope is on a piece of beautiful letterhead that matches the cover, with the Sterling Piano Company and a gorgeous reed organ at the top. Just below and to the left is the address information for the E. H. McEwen & Co. wareroom on 14th street. The date is faint, but it appears to read Oct. 5, 1882.
Although the letter is hand written, it is a solicitation and not addressed to a specific person. The company is pushing their “New Style 82” organ which sells for $240. There is a special offer of 15% off if bought within ten days. This shrinks to 10% off if purchased within fifteen days. Finally, the company asks, “Can we send you one?”
Color Advertising Card
Also inside the envelope is a beautiful color card. It features a young woman playing an organ. The card once again bears bold print that states “The Sterling Organ,” at the bottom it once again gives the McEwen Company address. While this card does not seem to offer much information, it must have been made as something so beautiful that it was hoped those who received it might keep it rather than discard it.
The Pamphlet
The final piece in the envelope is a pamphlet. Whereas the card is on very heavy cardstock, this is on very thin and folded paper. On one side is an organ, presumably the New Model 82. On the other are specifications about the instrument and the price of $240. New information on this pamphlet is the name of R. W. Blake who is the General Manager of the Derby factory. The specifications of the instrument state that it is five octaves and that the organ is 46 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 74 inches in height. The entire organ weighs 350 pounds. The instrument also has elven stops and they are listed on the sheet.
Finally, here is an example of a Sterling Reed Organ in performance. Though it is a slightly different model, it probably has a somewhat similar sound to the model 82. Enjoy
