Collage of Slide Show I was honoured to be a guest presenter at our local historical society last month. This is what we covered. Aussie brands (German made), Champions, Newsboy Jack Church, Northcote State School, Down the Mines, Lady Gibson Carmichael, Competitions, Mary Hardy, Hill Billy Concert, How to Compliment a Banjo Player, Stan Sleeth, … Continue reading Hasson’s Gold
Author: Harmonica Riff Raff
Sweet Water
Home is where sweet water fallsAnd kneeling down to take a little drink is like sipping wineHome is where the little woman lies waiting keeping it warm I got to make it back by the summer town.Give me a drink of sweet waterGive me the taste of a wineGive me the feel of my woman’s … Continue reading Sweet Water
Hohner Dozen
Click to enlarge Many moons ago I had an idea for the first of the month post to feature a Hohner harmonica in recognition of my sponsorship. These posts have long been shelved, but I still had these pictures in the media file so why not a single pictorial post. In The Flesh (1/2 Dozen) … Continue reading Hohner Dozen
Kochies’ Onesie
Pat the Guru Missin discovered a 1930 trademark for Boss Cracker by the merged and short lived Rauner/Seydel/Bohm companies. Koch, who previously produced the Boss Cracker the black sheep of the Crackajacks, had been sold the previous year to Hohner. It appears F A Rauner (Rauner manufactured the Crackajack brand) renewed the trademark of the … Continue reading Kochies’ Onesie
Hungry Hungry Hog
Well Hungry Town people got nothin to eatThey're scratching the dirt trying to plant the seedWhen night time comes it's time for bedWell now I gotta fight just to lay my head Hungry Town, the unique hit single by BIG PIG was drenched in harmonica. Rising to 18th position on the National Charts in December … Continue reading Hungry Hungry Hog
Lyre Lyre (Pants maybe a little on Fyre?)
Left: The Australian Star (Sydney) Wed 5 Aug 1903 Right: Evening News (Sydney) Sat 24 Dec 1904 The Claims Mr. W. F. Coxon's invention. Result of years of experiment, having been tested and found perfect. The opinion of experts who have seen it is that there is nothing better. The reeds are filed vertically and … Continue reading Lyre Lyre (Pants maybe a little on Fyre?)
Memphis Highway
Look out highwayHear me and my baby comeRight on back to you, where the blues came fromOh blues, don’t you call my nameJust stop by here take away my pain “I didn’t pick ‘Look Out Highway’….it picked me when I wrote it. Many years ago I was walking by a church in Memphis and I … Continue reading Memphis Highway
Praise the Lord for the 99c Harmonica.
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 … Continue reading Praise the Lord for the 99c Harmonica.
Crack Cadet
Early twentieth century poster by Troedel & Co. lithographer (State Library Victoria) 1905 Advertisement The Cadet was first added to the Crackajack line in 1905 just two years after their first models; The Professional, Senior and Junior, were sold by Allan & Co of Melbourne. Same model from F A Rauner’s 1915 Cat These Cadets … Continue reading Crack Cadet
Skurray Flurry, Pop Harp & Hot Air.
SKURRAY FLURRY Bruce Walter Skurray (1922 - 2008) Bruce Walter Skurray was born in Jamestown, South Australia on the 26 July, 1922. He was the son of Joseph Clement Skurray the local Bootmaker and renowned vocalist. When six years old Santa placed a Boomerang mouth organ in Bruce’s stocking. At nine years of age he … Continue reading Skurray Flurry, Pop Harp & Hot Air.









