RE: Prague Marine Bands

[LIEBERMANJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Thanks, Winslow.

>Interesting to see Janet Lieberman's report on harp rpices in
>Prague. Sounds like Hohner may be pricing to capture market share
>in a depressed economy. However, you don't have to go to Prague
>to get $15 Marine Bands. You can get them even cheaper by mail
>from Kevin's Harps in New Jersey or F&R Farrell in Ohio.

Yes, but I was pretty psyched nonetheless.

>I'm curious, though. What *kind* of Marine Bands were they? In
>Western Europe, all the Marine Bands are the new modular 1897
>model, produced by the new automation process, as opposed to the
>traditional handmade 1896 model, vastly preferred by everyone,
>and still produced for the US market. Could Hohner be dumping
>"old" 1896 stock in the east? This would be typical Hohner
>stupidity.

I'm not sure. I'll have to check when I get home tonight.

>Whay would much cooler would be if these were *older* 1896 models
>- paper boxes perhaps, or a star of david on the medallion at the
>center of the bottom cover. This last means pre-war harp, and
>extremely valuable. Check it out, Janet. This *is* a possibility.

I'm afraid that these were in plastic boxes. The shop's stock seemed very
new. Harps are somewhat big in Prague. I heard several street
musicians playing the blues, with guitar and harmonica. I'm curious,
though. Can someone tell me what is the story behind the Star of David
on the medallion??

--Janet Lieberman