Hi Terry
thanks for the pics. The bottom cover shows the famous Star of David in the center of the trade mark. This is often taken as an indication that the instrument is pre-WW2, but there is evidence that this symbol was not discontinued until the 1970s. My pre-1982 example doesn’t have this feature (though it does have the key stamped on the upper cover), so yours is clearly older than mine. It appears to be in good condition too, though the playability will depend on the state of the windsaver valves.
On the basis of the star and your recollections, your mother’s harmonica must date from somewhere between 1935 and the late 1950s/early 60s. I would assume it’s post WW2 and that she acquired it in the 1950s, but this is just a guess.
Not with any degree of accuracy, harmonicas generally don’t have serial numbers. As the medal between the pair of hands in your photo doesn’t contain the 6-pointed star found on older instruments, this harmonica is probably not older than early 1970s. But it could be much more recent. The 14 hole version, Marine 365/28, which this appears to be, was discontinued a few years ago.
I too have inherited an old Hohner Chromonica, 12 square holes, and am wondering when it was made. Please see photos… any help will be appreciated. It has the star of david in the trademark circle.
The Super Chromonica was first marketed around 1930, according to the list I have. From the appearance of the box, this one could be pre-WW2. Can you post a couple more photos, showing the bottom cover with the star and the outside of the box? This instrument has clearly been dis- and reassembled and cleaned. Whoever did this replaced the covers the wrong way around, that looks like the top cover on the bottom of the harmonica.
Thank you for a quick response! Being a newbie poster, I was allowed to post only 1 photo and is still letting me post only 1 this time too. So will have to make several posts to get it done. Interesting that the covers were exchanged. Are you saying the top cover is on the bottom, or that the covers were flipped end for end but on the correct side (top or bottom)? Please explain the correct position relative to the slider, so I can correct the misplacement.
The top cover is on the bottom and vice versa. Normally the screw head is on the top one, the star nut on the bottom one. The slide is meant to be on the right, with the low notes to the left (though people have been known to play the other way round, which might explain this constellation). Judging by the box, this looks very like a 1930s instrument to me, so if the reed plates are in reasonable condition it’s a collectors item. Do you intend to play it? If so, it may be an idea to send it to a Hohner Service Technician (see the Hohner website) for checking through and maybe reconditioning. Lovely instrument,
Hi! Steve. Encontré la harmónica de mi abuela, y me surge una duda con respecto a la antigüedad, ¿En qué momento pasaron de estar atornilladas por 4 tornillos a 2?
Sé que esta no es tan antigua como otras de este post, pero para mí tiene un gran valor sentimental. ¿Los sellos grabados de los 4 premios también son clave también para determinar la antigüedad?
Hi Claudia,
to the best of my knowledge the Marine Band 365 covers were always affixed with only 2 screws. I believe the plastic case was introduced in the early 1980s, older versions came in a cardboard case. The medals on the cover are no indication of the age of the instrument. As harmonicas don’t have serial numbers, it’s not possible to date it more accurately than that. Hope that helps!
Steve
