Historic Edition Hohner Harmonica – Gowings 1896/20 Marine Band Classic Key of C
For more than one hundred years, the Gowings store in George Street in the heart of Sydney’s CBD was a beacon for Sydneysiders where, behind its sandstone facade, people fell in love, soldiers were clothed for war and hundreds of thousands dropped in for a haircut.
Gowings had been a bustling institution, a multi-level variety store outfitting generations of young Australians for school, sport, society and war. Its barber shop opened in 1930, offering no-nonsense short back and sides to generations of Sydney men, with solicitors, judges, actors and high-flyers waiting their turn along with the less famous.
Gowings had survived two world wars and the Great Depression, but it could not survive the fierce competition of the retail giants and after 138 years of serving the people of Sydney, the doors of the iconic Gowings department store closed for the last time at 5:23pm on 29 January 2006.
With it went generations of memories for the city’s shoppers.
Gowings had sold Hohner Marine Band harmonicas from when they were first released in the late 1890s so it was no surprise that Hohner agreed to make a special run of harmonicas for their anniversary. Unfortunately, Gowings closed before these harmonicas were completed and they have sat, unopened in the Australian Hohner distibutor’s warehouse – until now.
Handmade in Trossingen, Germany, these limited edition harmonicas are based on Hohner’s best selling Marine Band model and are in the most popular key of C. Each individually numbered harmonica features the reed covers made especially for the occasion along with a commemorative wooden box with sliding perspex lid and black slip cover with an embossed Gowings logo.
For anyone wanting to play the harmonica they are a no-brainer. For anyone wanting something a little out of the ordinary, these limited edition harmonicas are really something special. Considering the hundreds of thousands of Marine Band harmonicas that are manufactured and sold every year, the limited number of Gowings Marine band harmonicas that are available make them historically significant.
Historic Edition Hohner Harmonica – Gowings 1896/20 Marine Band Classic Key of C Specifications:
● Key: C
● Reed Plate Material: Brass
● Reed Plate Thickness: 0.9 mm
● Reed Plate Surface: Brass
● Number of Reed: 20
● Reed Material: Brass
● Comb Material: Pearwood
● Comb Colour: Brown
● Comb Finish: Double Lacquered
● Mouthpiece Surface: Pearwood
● Cover Plates Material: Polished Stainless Steel
● Harmonica Type: Diatonic
● Harmonica Tuning: Richter
● Number of Holes: 10
● Tonal Range: 3 octaves
● Length: 10 cm (3.9″)
● Case: Natural Timber Display Case with Engraved Perspex Lid
● Inner Cover: Cheese Cloth Bag to protect the Harmonica inside the Timber Case
● Country of Manufacture: Germany
● Special Features: Individually Numbered with Specially Engraved Gowings Cover Plates
