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Harp-o-chord Harmonica/Zither

Harp-o-chord Harmonica/Zither

Object Details

Description

This instrument was made by an unknown maker in Columbus, Ohio, after 1899. It is a Harp-o-Chord model, combination harmonica and zither. The removable harmonica, in the key of G, has 10 single holes and 20 reeds. It has a red-stained wooden comb with metal cover plates attached to the top and bottom with screws and nuts. The zither is six course (3x1, 3x3) with a brown stained wood body, gold-stenciled sound hole, and printed instructions inside the body visible through the soundhole. The instrument has a metal tag:

HARP-O-CHORD

This instrument features U. S. Patent #627569, dated June 27 1899, by Carl E. Brown for a musical instrument.

Location
Currently not on view
place made
United States: Ohio, Columbus
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
Music & Musical Instruments
Popular Entertainment
Harmonicas
Credit Line
The Peter Kassan Collection
Location
National Museum of American History
ID Number
1988.0783.570
patent number
627569
accession number
1988.0783
catalog number
1988.0783.570
Object Name
harmonica/autoharp
Physical Description
wood (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 16 1/2 in x 8 in x 11 in; 41.91 cm x 20.32 cm x 27.94 cm
Record ID
nmah_1306636
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-0be0-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa