Roll Harmonica
Roll Harmonica
- Description
-
This player harmonica was made by Emenee Musical Toys, a subsidiary of Emenee Industries, Inc. in Flushing, New York, around 1955-1968. It is a Roll Harmonica model, comprised of an orange plastic harmonica with 16 double holes, enclosed in an orange plastic case. There are two sprockets inside the case for perforated rolls. The Roll Harmonica is played by blowing through the external mouthpiece while turning an external handle that moves the roll over the holes of the harmonica, similar to a player piano. Instructions are pasted inside the case. With original paper packaging.
- Emenee Industries was organized in 1949 and produced mainly organs and musical toys for children. Between 1955 and 1968, Emenee was located in Flushing, New York where it became a leading manufacturer of plastic toys while continuing to produce musical instruments.
- In May of 1968, the Ohio Art Company, a toy company from Bryan, Ohio, purchased 51 percent of Emenee’s stock and the company’s production was moved to Stryker, Ohio.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- harmonica
- date made
- 1955-1968
- maker
- Emenee Musical Toys
- place made
- United States: New York, Queens, Flushing
- Physical Description
- plastic (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- ink (overall material)
- Measurements
- harmonica: 3 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in; 8.89 cm x 16.51 cm x 16.51 cm
- box: 3 3/4 in x 12 in x 10 1/2 in; 9.525 cm x 30.48 cm x 26.67 cm
- leaflet: 5/8 in x 2 1/2 in x 3 9/16 in; 1.5875 cm x 6.35 cm x 9.04875 cm
- ID Number
- 1988.0783.491
- accession number
- 1988.0783
- catalog number
- 1988.0783.491
- Credit Line
- The Peter Kassan Collection
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Popular Entertainment
- Harmonicas
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
