This player roll was made by Rollmonica Music Co. in Baltimore, Maryland, undetermined date. It is for a Rollmonica player harmonica, roll R-205 “Swanee River.” The roll is made of perforated paper on a metal and cardboard spool with original paper box. The roll sold for 10¢.
This condom was distributed by the Health Education Resource Organization (HERO) of Baltimore, Maryland during the late 20th century. HERO was established in 1986 as a community-based organization to combat the spread of AIDS. The single foil-wrapped condom is enclosed in a blue cardboard envelope with white text on the cover that reads “A ring or your next engagement.” The upper inside reads “The ultimate token of your love.” Throughout the HIV-AIDS pandemic, condum manufacturers and distributers often used a light tone in their labels in an attempt to persuade people to pick up and use condoms.
The condom is inserted into the cardboard of the envelope. Below the condom, text reads “Use condoms for the love of your life.” The back of the envelope reads Hero/Health Education Resource Organization/945-AIDS/Baltimore Metro/251-1164/DC Metro/1-800-638-6252/Elsewhere in MD/HERO, 101 West Read Street, Suite 812, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201.
The Rolmonica Music Company created this instrument by mounting a removable 12-note harmonica made in Germany into a hinged Bakelite (plastic) frame. The frame has a simple crank mechanism and a mouthpiece to simplify playing tunes from paper rolls that sold for 10 cents each. The Rolmonica was patented and introduced in 1928, and marketed with a package of four rolls for just one dollar. The performer had to only turn the crank and blow.
While the idea of self-playing instruments operated by a paper roll was popularized by the piano, such technology was applied almost every type of instrument imaginable from player banjos, harps, accordions, and saxophones to violins. It is surprising to find the player technology applied to the harmonica since it was already a universally simple instrument to play. Considered to be an inexpensive novelty or a musical toy, it was sold as "a player piano in your pocket."
The harmonica is engraved:
ROLMONICA Made by ROLMONICA MUSIC CO. Baltimore, Md Made in Germany
(and cast on the inside of the case):
PATD 11-3-25 OTHER PATENTS PENDING 6-5-28
This instrument features U. S. Patent #RE16986E, dated June 5, 1928, a reissue of U. S. Patent #1560497, dated November 3, 1925 by Joseph Le Roy Banks for a musical instrument.