KC69
221 posts
Jun 01, 2012
8:09 PM
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-I have a harp I would like help indentifying. It is a Hohner. The comb has 20 double stacked holes. Its one and a half times longer than a marine band and its curved. The top and bottom reed plates each have 20 reeds (10 blow and 10 draw each). I thought it was just an old tremelo. I had it at HCH and forgot to show it to anyone. The cover I believe has what is the Star of David within a circle and held on each side by a set of hands, with the word Gesetzl on top and Gesch on bottom of the circle. Then it has 4 double circles. Each says 1) Grand Prix of Geneve 1927, 2) Grand Prix of Philad 1926, 3)Grand Prix of Paris 1937, 4)Grand Prix Chicago 1893.The bottom cover says Unsere Lieblinge Hohner. Trade Mark, M. Hohner is over top and under the set of hands and the Star. Its says Made in Germany and Fabrique en Allemagne.-Any help appreciated.--------
And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1090 posts
Jun 01, 2012
8:35 PM
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What would you like to know about it? It's a Hohner Unsere Lieblinge (means our love). These were made in the mid 1930s.
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Elk River Harmonicas on Facebook
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard
"Also, drinking homemade beer." - David Payne
Last Edited by on Jun 01, 2012 8:37 PM
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KC69
222 posts
Jun 01, 2012
8:40 PM
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guessing it is a tremelo with 4 octaves ? David are they quite common or something to hold on to ?
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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AirMojo
285 posts
Jun 02, 2012
4:31 AM
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Sounds like an older version of the Echo 40... I have one in the key of G, bought new years ago... looks like this one:
http://www.hohnerusa.com/index.php?106
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KC69
223 posts
Jun 02, 2012
9:26 AM
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Yepper its like that one Ken: It was given to me a while ago. I noticed last night the Star of David, so I thought it might be pre-war. Thanks Ken
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1091 posts
Jun 02, 2012
2:58 PM
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Ok.
Is the Unsere Liebling Tremolo common? Yes.
Is yours actually worth anything? No.
Is the specific harmonica you have common? No. It's actually rare. the problem is the thing that makes it uncommon, very few people know about it.
What makes it rare? It has the star AND the 1937 Paris on the trademark.
Am I done answering my own questions? Yes.
Yours was one of the very last Hohner harmonicas to be made with the six-point star - and it was not meant to be a Star of David. My contention is its a melding of Weiss in the trademark. It shows up about the time Hohner took over Weiss company and Weiss' trademark was that exact star with a W behind it.
I'm sure they are out there, but I have only heard of two harmonicas (yours is the second) that had the Star AND 1937 Paris on the trademark. I'm not a collector, so my radar is very limited. I used to have the other one and sold it.
We know that the star was removed in the late 1930s. I've always thought maybe it was because it got noticed by the higherups at the Paris Exhibition. Some genius organizer put the German and Soviet pavillions right across from one another and it turned into this contest between Hitler and Stalin about who could get a piss stream the highest up the Eiffel Tower.
You can find a little more info below:
Prewar Star Theory
If my theory is correct, it was made just before the exhibition - they had harmonicas there stamped with that. If my theory is wrong, it is still one of the last harmonicas built with a star.
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Elk River Harmonicas on Facebook
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard
"Also, drinking homemade beer." - David Payne
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2012 3:05 PM
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KC69
224 posts
Jun 02, 2012
7:03 PM
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Thanks David. Guess I'm more confused than ever. I will read the prewar star theory. Hope that sheds some more light on it. Guess I ought to keep the harp. Hope it won't hurt to clean it up some.
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1094 posts
Jun 02, 2012
9:18 PM
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Basically yours was one of the last to have the prewar star.
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Elk River Harmonicas on Facebook
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard
"Also, drinking homemade beer." - David Payne
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KC69
225 posts
Jun 03, 2012
8:13 AM
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Thanks David: The prewar star theory is a great story. I owe you. Don't know if you remember the 2008 Buckeye Harmonica fest. I had brought the lawn chair deer jerky (I only hunt deer from my lawn chair ). You took a picture of us guys in the lounge chowing on the jerky and put it on you web site, called us the "Deer Jerky Gang". Hope to have some jerky for you next time we bump into each other.
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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