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
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
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?)
Bess Shep’s vessel and Harley’s harp Just a month or so ago I penned a blawg relating to the Bess O’ Th’ Barn mouth organ tin I had unearthed from the Lakes district in Gippsland. In the article I related the intrigue into why ‘Besses’ was shortened to ‘Bess’ on the branding of the mouth … Continue reading Little Besses, Dick & Percy (also Les & Harry)
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 … Continue reading Cobber Verdict Is In! (Beyond A Reasonable Doubt)
James Donnelly 1865 - 1937 Left: NSW Mouth Organ Champion - Mr. F. Donnelly (Sydney Sun, December 28, 1913) Middle: Thomas & Co Newtown Right: James Donnelly as The Grocer in ‘Horseshoes’ (1923) - Starred Oliver Hardy On the 18th December 1913 at the West’s Glaciarium (a skating rink and picture theatre), the Cobber New … Continue reading Cobber Champ
A new selection for the collection joining the Cobber & Boomerang tins. Pretty chuffed to have quested this Bess O’ Th’ Barn metal case from Lakes Entrance. I haven’t witnessed too many of these rising to the surface in my ten or so years of collecting for my collection. The Bulletin - Advertised December 1913 … Continue reading Whoa Bessie & Y the Zee!
Harmonica Riff Raff, located in the beautiful Bass Coast acknowledges the Bunurong clan of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of these lands and waters, and pays respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. The Australian Star (Sydney), Wed 17 Feb 1897 The King Billy mouth organ was manufactured by C. … Continue reading King Billy
Hohner Up To Date Chromatically Tuned Shep’s left, Doug’s right. Once upon a time in the west (actually south east and down under), there was a lonely 1898 Hohner Up To Date Chromatically Tuned Harmonica residing quietly in a shack in the Dandenongs (now in a shanty on the Bass Coast). Discovered in May of … Continue reading Another One (not just like the other one)
A couple of new (old) Aussie indigenous named ‘Arps; the Nulla - Nulla and the Woomera. While setting out to determine if a Nugget mouth organ had ever been advertised (I didn’t), I dug up a Nulla - Nulla sold by Beale’s of Brisbane. A Nulla Nulla is an indigenous club used, well, you probably … Continue reading Nulla-Nulla and the Woomera two
Harmonica Riff Raff 