Hi everyone,
I found an old M. Hohner harmonica marked “Cowboy” and I’m trying to learn more about it. I haven’t been able to find another one like it online, even after checking Google, eBay, and a few collector sites.
It says “Cowboy,” “M. Hohner,” and “Made in Germany,” and it has a cowboy hat design on the cover.
I attached photos of both sides. Does anyone recognize this model or know if it was part of a regular Hohner line, a promotional item, or maybe a regional release?
I’d also love to know around when it might have been made and how uncommon it is.
Thanks for any help!
Interesting, I don’t recall seeing one of these before and it’s not in the list of Hohner models I have here. It looks genuine and appears to be pretty old, but otherwise I can’t say anything definitive. Can you post a photo of the channel openings so I can see whether it’s a single or double row instrument?
You may want to try contacting the German Harmonica Museum (harmonika-museum@t-online.de) or asking on the Facebook group Harmonica Collectors Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/213998285292044)
Good luck!
Steve
Thanks for the reply, Steve. I attached a photo of the channel openings.
I was honestly surprised that there seems to be almost no information about it online, so it’s interesting to hear that it’s not in your list of Hohner models either.
I’ll also try reaching out to the Harmonica Museum and the Harmonica Collectors Club group you mentioned. Thanks again for taking a look at it!
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Hohner harmonica product manager Gerhard Müller tells me the following:
This harmonica is based on the Sonny Boy 12, which featured a single reed plate with 12 reeds and was manufactured up til the early 1990s. Your photo of the channel openings confirms this, there is clearly only one reed plate. He assumes your example is probably a special model made for the US market, but there doesn’t appear to be any record of exactly when. From the appearance it probably dates from the 1970s/1980s.
Hope that helps!
Steve
