No.. marks that run perpendicular to the long axis.
Cool.
That should read marks that run perpendicular to the long axis of the reed itself.
Hello. Your find is not a harmonica reed. Note how it’s tapered? It’s a zinc reed plate from an early Hohner accordion or similar. There is a whole section on musical instrument reeds (including diatonic and chromatic accordions, harmonicas, flutinas, pump organs and harmoniums, concertinas and pitch pipes) in my upcoming book on Louisiana relics, which will be released by American Digger/Greybird Publishing in 2024.
These two are, however, harmonica reed plates. Notice how they’re NOT tapered? Different instrument and a different ID. These are post 1850s. Your first photo is a chromatic harmonica reed plate and the second is a diatonic example.
Thanks so much BB!! That’s very exciting considering my location in Louisiana. Really appreciate it.
What are you basing this date on if you don't mind my asking.
Hohner’s patent (1857), shipment of harmonicas to the US, which didn’t occur until 1868… Article on the history of the harmonica in Smithsonian magazine. Harmonicas became very popular but it was not until the early 1860s or so and I’d imagine they were fairly rare in the US until hohners improvements in production quantity allowed for global distribution. Sorry to throw lots of sources at you. I finished this section of my book and it’s research not long ago. The chromatic harmonica was not invented until after the CW. Diatonic were around earlier, but late 1850s is the terminus.
They’re two different instruments. You’re right that early accordion reeds plates in many cases were zinc like this… but Later accordion reed plates were rectangular with two reeds in each frame—And, STILL made of zinc. I have examples of both reed types, still in Original accordions, in my upcoming relic ID book.
