Gary Heckman quotes the Q.R.S. slogan "Quality Real Service" as the
original meaning of the three letters that the music roll company took
as its name.

I know that's what Q.R.S. printed on their literature, but that slogan
is a back-formation, a set of words thought up later in the company's
history to go with, or explain the meaning of, Q.R.S.

What I mean by "back formation" is that the company dreamed up those
words to fit the already-existing part of their name.  The question is,
what led them in the first place to use Q.R.S.?

The original meaning of the letters may never be known, but I'd put my
money on the mail-slot explanation before I'd bet on the all-too-slick
slogan "Quality Real Service."

The truth may be that there _was_ no meaning in the letters.  When
George Eastman sought a name for his new camera and film company in
neighboring Rochester, he came up with "Kodak."  That term has no
meaning either.

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York

 [ In what year is the first mention of "Q.R.S." seen on the box
 [ labels of piano rolls produced by a Melville Clark firm?  What
 [ brand name appeared before "Q.R.S."?  -- Robbie