Reminiscences of Morris Steinert by STEINERT, Morris - 1900

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1900. A bright, sharp copy with extremities just touched. 8vo. 267 pages. Frontispiece portrait of the author, photographic plates. Original blue cloth, gilt-lettered and decorated. First edition, first printing. Presentation copy, inscribed on the front free endpaper: "To Miss Carolyn Quintin with the my [sic] compliments. M. Steinert. New Haven, Conn, Nov 14, 1903." An autobiographical memoir by one of New Haven's most famous figures in music. The Bavarian-born Steinert was a music merchant and an instrumentalist, who played piano, organ, flute, cello, and violin, and performed throughout Europe in his early years. After immigrating to the United States, he toured the South playing his violincello and singing as a minstrel. Abandoning this in 1865, he founded his eponymous M. Steinert & Sons in New Haven, Connecticut, which continues selling Steinway pianos and other fine musical instruments to this day. Later in life, Steinert created a collection of musical instruments unrivaled in private hands; his collection was acquired by Yale after his death. He also founded the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.