Info Needed About Player Harmonica
By Donald Fuller, forwarded by Terry Smythe
Forwarded Message:
From: dfuller@teleport.com To: ALL Orig: MBNET
Subj: Info needed re Player Har Area: 2-rec.antiques Date: 02/12/96
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My wife's father gave her a player harmonica some years ago. It is like a player piano in that paper rolls with openings are used to carry the tune. A crank moves the coded paper past the mouthpiece in front of the harmonica. Can anyone give me more information about this novelty? I also don't know how to play it since I can't seem to crank and get a melody.
Any help will be appreciated?
[ Editor's Note: The following reply was posted to rec.antiques:
From swanson@ssrl01.slac.stanford.edu
Organization SSRL, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lab
Date 12 Feb 96 15:27:38 -0800
Newsgroups rec.antiques
What you have is called a rollmonica. It was a childrens toy made in the 1930's or 40's. I believe that 2 different models were made, one of metal and a later version that was some sort of plastic like bakelite. To play it, you put the roll in and connect the end tab on the roll to the takeup spool on the bottom blow into it as you are cranking the roll, it should play. If it does not play then it is probably broken. There were other roll playing toys like this like the QRS play-sax that was shaped like a saxophone and a clairola that was shaped like a clarinet. They are not rare. |
(Message sent Wed 14 Feb 1996, 17:42:25 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.) |
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