Hohner Chromatica No. 261 Harmonica: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This harmonica was made by M. Hohner in Germany, 1930s. It is a Chromatic No. 261 model with 35 double holes and 70 reeds. The harmonica has a brown stained wooden comb with metal cover plates attached to the top and bottom with screws and nuts. Accessioned with original cardboard box. The box has two embossed labels:

The reeds in this harmonica are set in a position of adjacent half steps in a horizontal row (left to right-A, A#, B, C, etc., chromatic, without a slide button). It is an octave-tuned instrument, blow only. On an octave tuned harmonica, each vertically paired set of holes has 2 reeds tuned 8 diatonic scale notes apart.

This harmonica was previously owned and played by Johnny Puleo (1907-1983), an American harmonica player and actor. Puleo got his big break after performing at a contest held by harmonica player and actor, Borrah Minevitch (born Boruch Meinewitz, 1902-1955), and leader of the group The Harmonica Rascals. After Minevitch’s death in 1955, Puleo formed his own group, The Harmonica Gang. The group performed throughout the world and made several recordings during their association. Puleo appeared in several television programs and films.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1930s
• maker: Hohner, M.
• Object Name: harmonica
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Physical Description: paper (overall material)
• Physical Description: ink (overall material)
• Measurements: harmonica: 1 3/8 in x 14 in x 1 1/2 in; 3.4925 cm x 35.56 cm x 3.81 cm
• Measurements: box: 1 5/8 in x 1 3/4 in x 14 5/8 in; 4.1275 cm x 4.445 cm x 37.1475 cm
• place made: Germany
• ID Number: 1991.0265.02
• catalog number: 1991.0265.02
• accession number: 1991.0265
• Credit Line: GIft of Josephine M. DeRosa and Louise H. Puleo
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.