Hohner Chromonica II Deluxe
Every now and then you have a wee win. To acquire this space age chromatic for 99 cents was certainly one. I only placed a bid because the interest seemed lacklustre and the fact that I’m always on the hunt for a bargain. I recently had been an underbidder on a Crackajack Concert (no box), which is more in my wheelhouse being an antique Aussie branded harp, but $150 was a little too pricey.
German Patent 853853 (1952 – Walter Hohner).
For information on this 12 hole Chromonica head to Pat Missin’s website Hohner Chromonica II Deluxe. If you’re curious whether there was a number IV model, traverse to Mark Weber’s Chromatic History Blog.
You couldn’t miss Boans apparently as it canvassed a huge block and thus was a point of reference for Buhler’s location. In the photograph pictured above, Buhler’s occupied a ground store space in the building between Boans and Woolworths. Interestingly (not very funny), in the thirties they shared office space on the ground floor with Albert and Son.
I have a feeling that the Chromonica was a big hit when they first arrived on the scene, due to its space age design. Although I’m not too sure the price was a big hit, except for the hip pocket. Whilst I could locate several advertisements in our newspapers from 1950 to 1952 there twas not one thereafter. Their demise could be a result of functional problems with the hardware as Pat Missin outlined in his post.
CHROMATICA GALACTICA
I couldn’t pass on another bargain a week or so later. In a bundle of 4 Hohner Chromatics for 30 bucks from the estate of Horst Strecker (Member of a 1960’s group called Chromestars from the South Coast of New South Wales), was a Hohner 263 Chromatica with box in pretty damn good nick. I was only interested in this one and the offer was just too good to refuse. The other three consisted of two Chromonika III’s and a Super Chromonica (Key of ‘A’) and all were in their appropriate enclosures. What a bonus!
I had a few questions for Guru Pat on my latest acquisition.
SD: How is the Chromatica different from the Polyphonia models Pat, and can you date both these models precisely?
GP: Hi Shep. Another great score! I’ve been trying to find a Poly VI for a while now, but I’m not finding anything in good shape at a good price.
There’s not a ton of info on these harps. The TM for “Polyphonia” says the name was first used in commerce in January 1929, but they had already been sold prior to that date under the name “Orchester”. That name was trademarked in 1926 along with “Vineta” (which was also sold as “Orchester IV” and “Polyphonia IV), so I guess they originally date from around that time.
The Chromatica is even harder to date, as they also used the name for a non-chromatic model in the 1920s. It seems that the Chromatica series came out a little later than the Polyphonia models and I’m not sure why Hohner decided that they were different instruments. I am also not sure why they were so frequently not included in their catalogs.
SD: What was the purpose of these models?
GP: The general idea is that they were alternate chromatic designs that allowed lines that were tough on the standard chromatics because of having to change breath direction all the time, but mostly they wound up as special effect instruments. They were also used in visual gags, as they were more visible on a stage, often being used as a weapon by one of the smaller members of a band against one of the larger members. Off the top of my head, the only player who really used one as a melodic instrument was Cappy LaFell of the Cappy Barra Harmonica Band.
I think I’ve speculated before that these may originally have been special-order instruments, which might explain their lack of presence in the catalogs and trade press. It might also explain the various alternate versions – there are several in John’s (Whiteman) anthology, as I recall.
Hohner 1927
Just prior going to press I located the Chromatica advertised in a 1927 Hohner Catalogue.
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