[Harp-L] Re: Harmonica Collector

[MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx]

Hello, Harp-L. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
 
About a week ago, a Harp-L reader (was it Ben Bouman?) sent a personal  
e-mail, asking for information about the following harmonicas, so that he could 
 suggest a price for each. 
 
It has taken a week to gather the information. Some answers are needed from 
 the sender, to accurately describe your harmonica collection. 
 
The monetary value of each harmonica can't be estimated without seeing the  
harmonicas, but information is available. 
 
The dates listed here are only guesses.
 
HOHNER SINGLE-REED (PER NOTE) BASS HARP, C-C#, "in-line" note placement, 14 
 holes:
 
Is the harmonica labeled, "Chromatica," or "Educator?"  The Educator  was 
produced from about 1935-1950 (a guess), in soprano, alto, tenor and bass  
models. I don't know how many mouthpiece holes it had, or if it was "in-line" 
or  "keyboard style" note placement. It's possible that this wasn't your 
bass  model.
 
The Chromatica single reed bass was produced at about the same time. It's  
possible that it had more than 14 reeds (2 octaves?). It was available in F 
and  G, and possibly a few other keys.
 
It's possible to give an estimate as to the harp's vintage, if all of the  
parts can be dated to the same era. Check the reed rivets. If your harp has  
small, rounded rivets, the reeds are from the 1925-1935 era. If the rivets 
are  larger, and rounded, the reeds may be from the 1935-'55 era. If the 
harp's  rivets are
scored (#) on top, the reeds may be from the 1955-'85 era. These dates are  
guesses only, and may be totally wrong. 
 
HOHNER #260 CUSTOM SLIDE DIATONIC HARMONICA: top reed plate-stamped C  
major, bottom reed plate, stamped A minor:
 
It's possibly a custom-made harmonica.  There is no record of Hohner  
mass-producing this key configuration. The Hohner #260 Chromatica 10-hole slide  
chromatic harmonica was mass-produced from 1911- present, first with Richter 
 system note placement, later with solo system note placement. 
 
Around 1930, the solo system Chromatica model was introduced, and sold  
along with the Richter system note placement. Hohner bought the Koch company  
around 1928, and kept the Koch Chromatic in production to the present day. 
It's  a Richter system note placement. Later, maybe around 1945, Hohner 
Chromatica  slide harps were produced only with solo system note placement.
 
Check the other parts of the harmonica for vintage. Look at the reed plates 
 (thicker, brass-colored aluminum plates circa 1930-1935, brass reed plates 
from  about 1928-present); reed rivets(see above); windsaver valves-first, 
leather  with a metal strip supporting the leather (1911-1940?); leather 
strips-no  reinforcement (1930-1940?); mylar windsavers from about 1940-present.
 
Is the slide button and spring return assembly outside the harp  
(1911-1930), or inside (1930-present)? Are the cover plates' tabs rounded at the  ends 
(earlier to about 1950), or  squared( 1950-present)? By combining the  
dating of parts, you may find an educated guess to within 10 years of  
production. If the harmonica has been altered in any way, a true dating may be  
difficult.
 
KOCH POLYPHONIA-TYPE HARMONICA #5, Bb to Db, approximately 2+ octaves,  
"in-line" note placement, Whole tone scale.
 
Is it a single- or double-reed per note harp? I have no information on this 
 harmonica, except what you've listed above. Koch was bought by Hohner 
around  1928, so it may have been made before that date.
 
HOHNER "THE AUTO" #2561 HARMONICA, 14 double holes, 28 reeds, 5 inches  
long(left to right).
 
It might be a tremolo or octave harp, and was produced from 1924-(?), with  
brass covers and an embossed touring car on the cover, and a bust of M.  
Hohner.
 
YAMAHA MACHINO-TONE SLIDE CHROMATIC
 
>From the late 1930s-early 1940s, Yamaha Nippon-Gakki Co., Ltd.,formerly  
known as "Nippon Gakki," of Hamamatsu, Japan, made the Machino-Tone.
It's a slide harp with no slide button. A rear-mounted cover shifts with  
finger-sliding,while a padded panel closes one set of reeds. It was available 
in  at least 2 sizes: 15-holes (the smaller of the two), and a 12-hole 
size, larger  of the two. Note placement, key and other details unknown.
 
For a more complete story on your harmonicas, please contact Harley crain,  
President, Harmonica Collectors International, P.O. Box 6081, Chesterfield, 
MO 63006-6081. E-mail: _hcrain@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
(mailto:hcrain@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) 
 
John Broecker