1896–Woolloomooloo Warbler (Seydel/Alberts) originally had a patent bone lip protector. Kangaroo Chalmer (Seydel/Alberts)-Later that year. King Billy (Seydel/Alberts)-two sided & another with bells maybe later at 3s 5d. The Federal Harp (Ernst Hess/J Hess & Co) perhaps as early as 1880, three models sold in 1910 as the Midget Federal 20 reeds, Junior Federal 20 … Continue reading Aussie Models (Remastered)
An early advertisement in the Colony for a Mundharmonika at R Clisby’s Musical Repository in Rundle Street Adelaide. It appears in the South Australian newspaper the Sud Australishe Zeiting in 1862. South Australia had a large intake of German settlers in the 19th Century, so much so that they represented 10% of all South Australians … Continue reading Schokolade & Adelaide
Act I. Back in 1973 at the Shep's household in the not so beachside side of Parkdale (east of Nepean Highway) we had an elderly guest at the table for Christmas lunch, someone we had never met and all the way from the United States of America. This would be the first time the condiment … Continue reading Known Unknowns
Some time ago I found a couple of early advertisements of a couple of cheaper Crackajack Mouth Organs that were offered in their product range, The Tommy Dodd (1903-06) and the Little Gulliver (1903-12). I cannot conclusively establish how the naming of these was contrived, but I would like to suggest it was of prominent … Continue reading Tommy & the Gulliver
Photo courtesy of Pittwater Online News In 1898 Johs Richter trademarked both the Coo-ee and Kookaburra name for mouth organs. Seydel took over the name of Kookaburra and produced them and in 1910 they trademarked the name Coo-ee for mundharmonikas. We know one exists (just beyond coo-ee) as the owner, the editor of the Pittwater … Continue reading Within Coo-ee
Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree, Merry merry king of the bush is he. Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra, Gay your life must be! (Kookaburra Mouth Organ from Doug Dawson’s collection) The name Kookaburra has its derivation from the indigenous Wiradjuri word Guuguubarra, which is onomatopoeic for the bird's distinctive laughter call. To many they … Continue reading Bush King
Prominent world harmonica collector Harland Crain sent HRR this photograph of a Crackajack Miniature Concert (with bakelite frame). In the Melbourne Weekly Times (Saturday 10th November 1934) advertised alongside the Crackajack Miniature Concert was Ludwigs "Improved Bakelite" mouth organ (maybe the Antoria Concert). It had me reminiscing on the bakelite devices in our family home … Continue reading Bakelite Brevities
Our harmonica scout in Okriftel Germany, Mark Hand has done it again - he's gone and discovered another Aussie harp held at the Museum in Trossingen Germany. With the aide of the museum's curator Martin Haffner we have a few more photos - one that displays the maker's mark, another of the top of the … Continue reading Mulga Bill’s Mouth Organ
Ah, but thousands of people march to my songs. Some just ignore me and shuffle along. Some others tip me, hah, and sometimes they sing right along...One for the money, two for the show, three for the busker who plays by the road. (Always The Busker - Jon English) There's not too many musos that … Continue reading Busker’s Lament
Finally I've been able to peek inside the Crackajack tutor booklet. A few gems were discovered from within its pages. The diamond was the Professor's tips on playing the instrument that fits in a waistcoat pocket. Was the Professor the one they termed the Paderewski of the mouth organ? What is a Paderewski? More on … Continue reading Professor & Paderewski
Harmonica Riff Raff 