William Muir, a steerage passenger on the Innamincka from Sydney to Innisfail, was lost overboard on Saturday last when the vessel was about ten miles east of Nora Head. The accident occurred at 5.30 p.m. when light was just falling. Muir was seen on the forecastle playing a mouth-organ and skylarking, when the ship rolled … Continue reading Man Overboard – Short Snort (Organ) #2
Left: Queen Victoria Building of George Street where D Davis & Co operated out of in the 1920’s. Right: D Davis & Co True Tone advertisement from 1939. Here we go again. Why? Why? This author has unearthed another Aussie harp the True Tone and the fact it was produced for the Oz market is … Continue reading World’s Best
Harold beltin’ out a tune. I’m not keen on penning articles on animals held in captivity. Their exploitation and treatment in the name of our entertainment has never sat well with this author. There are quite a few tales of elephants in Australian captivity that blew the gob iron that I have refused to entertain. … Continue reading ‘Arold Goes AWOL!
(Adelaide News 27 May, 1931) On a crisp May morning in 1931 Emil Marius Ryberg of Mile End, set out riding his ‘pushy’ to cross the State border of South Australia and Victoria on route to the historic gold town of Bendigo. His prime intention was to display his wares in a mouth organ competition, … Continue reading Ryberg’s Ride – Short Snort (Organ) #1
Sing a songSing a song of songsSing it out, Sing it strongYeah! Yeah! Neil Diamond Music Trade Review November 1914 Colouring added by author. Nice Christmas pressie. Anyone have one in their collection? The Great War may be a reason for their scarcity. Advertising DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SORENESS. A Canadian inventor is on record with … Continue reading Holly Holy Harmonica
770 notes (8 feet long) demonstrated in Michigan, Detroit 1932 Left - 320 notes (41 inches long) designed for duets on display Michigan Illinois 1938 and Right - Ah ha! That’s what’s going on. A Blue Bird (F A Bohm) built for two. 1938 - Two more sharing a Blue Bird (F A Bohm) Shop … Continue reading The Big One (Pictorial #1)
World Chromatic authority (and collector) Mark Weber has managed to obtain the Boomerang Grand Chromorgan (12 hole - 3 Octaves) produced by Swiss manufacturer Thorens. You may remember that I unearthed the ten hole little brother a few months ago - see Suisse Piece. If you haven’t checked out Mark’s blog, then you should do … Continue reading Big Brother
Adam's Apple' Bagpipes. — The stirring air 'Cock o' the North' rang through the police barracks in Melbourne last Saturday morning. Police clerks dropped their pens, and some shouted their disapproval of the music. One constable jumped from his desk declaring that he could not add up his figures while the screeching of the bagpipes … Continue reading Hedley Does A Runner.
Very interesting (but not very practical) mouth organs. Koch eight hole mouth organs in the shape of animals (1927 Catalogue) All quiet on the home front with no new additions (vintage ‘Oz’ harmonicas) to the fish tank. So, in keeping with the theme of the cartoons that follow, I opted to include a few obscure … Continue reading Walking On Air
Original single release with Travelling Down The Castlereagh as the ‘A’ side. Finally, after many years of investigating, I can reveal the harp player on Richard Clapton’s I’m Travelling Down The Castlereagh. Drum roll, please? It is………wait for it……the one……and the only…….Broderick Smith. A popular segment on my old radio program was ‘Oddities & Obscurities’ … Continue reading Old Jig Jog
Harmonica Riff Raff 