Cyclop mouth organ I spied with my little eye an interestingly monikered mouth organ advertised in Toowoomba 1923 (below right) - the “easy blowing” Cyclop. Left: Cyclop Accordion advertisement (Catholic Press Sydney 1911) Right: ‘Easy blowing Cyclop Mouth Organs (Toowoomba Chronicle 1923) Definitely not an Australian brand name mouth organ, but available down under perhaps … Continue reading One Eyed
Rhythm and Blues - Hohner My R&B with 1963 Patent (part & slightly doctored) Tommy Reilly co - creator Although not strictly in my collection parameters, I’ve been keen for sometime to source a Hohner Rhythm & Blues Chord harmonica. Not quite sure why, but I reckon it’s cool! The time had arrived. I sought … Continue reading Train Rhythm Blues
Homage to the mouth-organ the "bushman's orchestra" - was paid by a professor of music at the Merrylands and Cumberland District Eisteddfod on Saturday. He was Professor C. Sauer, who carries the degree of A.Mus., and holds diplomas of Art at London, Paris and Sydney. “I love the mouth-organ because it has such a soothing … Continue reading The Professor & Merrylands
JAZZMASTER A new arrival for the collection and just a lobster. Not a bad find at this price considering some of the over inflated offers on a well known auction platform. This specimen was detected not far from our new to be located Shep’s Shack. It does, however offer more confusion into the growing number … Continue reading Bread & Butter
Left: My recent acquisition Right: Echophone graphic from a 1953 Hohner catalogue. By happenstance I was able to add this beauty to my collection. I think part of my fascination with the Echophone is the link back to Sydney Dickens of Carlton, Melbourne who had an invention of the same name and type back in … Continue reading Tubular Organ
I got this little girl she's quite a pictureAin't no-one anywhere ever gonna steal herMy Baby - Cold Chisel Another pick up for the Shep Collection. Just couldn’t help myself. It’s manifesting as an addiction. Haven’t seen many of these in my short fossicking career. Will sit right beside my Tiny and Tiny De Luxe. … Continue reading My Baby
Some time ago I came across an unusual specimen (as it’s name referred - Unicum) that was not in the greatest nick, but worthy of closer inspection. What I now realise, thanks to Pat Missin, is that I acquired a Weiss Mandola that was missing the cardboard tube in which it was embedded. I have … Continue reading Unique Boutique
The elusive Hohner Auto Valve Vamper! One in the flesh - picture courtesy of Riff Raffer Mark Hand, all the way from Okriftel. If your interested in detail about this oxymoron there's information here - Hohner’s Hollandia (Nova) Harp. Ray Grieve has published his revised edition of Boomerangs & Crackajacks with newly researched material on … Continue reading Via et Veritas
Having recently cleared the property for a hard rubbish collection, I found a cardboard sign which predates our arrival at this property. I would suggest this was for the sale of the land before the house being built in the mid eighties. It had been jammed up against a side fence with just the plain … Continue reading Long Haired Freaky People
Harmonica Riff Raff 