The Cobber Mouth Organ was made by F A Rauner.

Primary evidence

Cobber’s covers, shaped and stamped in a very similar design to the early Crackajacks (manufactured by F A Rauner) – note the angles of ‘40 Bell Metal Reeds’ and ‘Registered made in Germany’. In addition, the model type is bracketed below the brand that are also nearly identical in style.

Supporting Evidence

Jackson & MacDonald were former employees of Allan & Co in Melbourne and were in residence when the Crackajacks became a dominant market force.

They then formed a partnership and moved to Sydney, trading in direct opposition to Albert’s Boomerangs that were manufactured by Seydel.

Their Cobber advertising denounces other mouth organs “fitted with fancy shaped covers…..that interfere with the free production of tone”. A direct reference to the Boomerang models one would think. Cobbers were extremely unlikely to be made by Seydel

The use of Bauer & Krause as middle men perhaps was a method for not having a direct link to F A Rauner. Bauer & Krause were like Art Vanderlay (Seinfeld), importers and exporters and although trademarking the Cobber, they weren’t the manufacturers.

Over to Pat (Missin) for his discerning eye.

“Yeah, I can’t believe that is just a coincidence. So the question is whether they are similar because they came from the same maker, or whether they are similar because one was copying the other. My gut says the former, but I don’t know how to prove or disprove it. I also think your idea of why they might have used Bauer & Krause as middle men also makes sense”.

A Clue Too?

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By the By

For all the backstory on the Cobber take a gander at these; Cobber & Co, On The Trail Of The Cobber Coach, Calling All Cobbers and Cobber Champ.

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