trying to find information on old harmonica

[jakedasnake]

Hopefully this is the right forum to post this.Anyway I am trying to find information on an old harmonica.It says on it Made By O.H.S Japan.Also says on it Trade O.K Mark.Also says on it O.K OrchestraSeries and also on it CELLO.. It has 21 double holes.The harmonica is 10.5 inches long and about 2 inches high.Needs a ton of air and I feel faint after playing it a bit.Thanks for any info.

[John Broecker]

Hello, Jakedasnake.

Your harmonica is a 21-double hole (42 reeds) tremolo harmonica.

I couldn't find anything about the OHS harmonica manufacturer,
but I'll continue the search.

Best regards

John Broecker

[SlideMeister]

Yeah I was gunna take a shot at an answer last night but then figured this is the kind of stuff that makes Broeker go.
   hahha!

[jakedasnake]

Thanks John

[John Broecker]

Hello, Jake and Age (A.J.).

A.J.: If you have information about the OHS harmonica manufacturer of Japan, please let us know.

Jakedasnake: I haven't found anything about the OHS harmonica manufacturer.
If you could post a photo or two, it may be useful.

Best Regards

John Broecker

[jakedasnake]

Here you go John.Hope pictures load.

[jakedasnake]

And here.

[SlideMeister]

Hello, Jake and Age (A.J.).

A.J.: If you have information about the OHS harmonica manufacturer of Japan, please let us know.

Jakedasnake: I haven't found anything about the OHS harmonica manufacturer.
If you could post a photo or two, it may be useful.

Best Regards

John Broecker

Like Sgt Schultz: "I knnnow nnnnnothing! other than hearing the name mentioned a few times.

I kinda believe extinct harmonicas are usually that way for a reason, and (to me) with the exception of "personal reasons" (as in I always wanted one) or maybe adding them to a collection, there's pretty much worthless. YMMV

@ge

[jakedasnake]

For some reason they pics are sideways.sorry

[John Broecker]

Hello, Jacob (Jakedasnake).

Thanks for posting the photos of your Japanese harmonica.
If possible, please post a photo of the mouthpiece side
(player's side) of the harmonica.

The covers of your OHS harmonica appear to be well-made,
and the vintage seems to be post World-War 2, but that's only a guess.

Orchestra Series usually means that it was designed to be played in a
harmonica orchestra, and "Cello," means that it has a lower range than
a standard tremolo harmonica (about 8 scale degrees, an octave, lower
than the standard tremolo harmonica).

I had a Yamaha 14-chord harmonica that looked similar to your OHS,
but it was a chord harmonica. It had only major and dominant 7th chords,
so I sold it. I've never seen another one like it.

Before WWII, the Yamaha harmonica company was named "Nippon Gakki,"
which I think translates to "Made in Japan". I see a few of the Yamahas
occasionally for sale at small internet harmonica sellers.

The Tombo ("Dragonfly") harmonica company of Tokyo, Japan was founded in 1916.
The Suzuki harmonica company of Hamamatsu, Japan, was founded in 1953. The starting
date of the Nippon Gakki or Yamaha harmonica company is not known.

There have been many Japanese harmonica companies in the 20th century,
but most were small companies that could not compete with the famous
companies. Many Japanese harmonica companies only stamped "Made in Japan,"
or "Japan" on the covers.

Here's a contact person who might know the answer to the OHS identity.
Harland Crain is the president of Harmonica Collectors International:

e-mail:  hcrain@harleysharps.com
e-mail:  hcrain1@earthlink.net
web:     www.harmonicacollectorsinternational.com

Best Regards

John Broecker

[Gnarly He Man]

Yup, John Whiteman might know too--
johnwhiteman at san dot rr dot com

[John Broecker]

Hello, OK Cellos.

The OHS Orchestra Series OK Cello isn't listed or displayed
in the John Whiteman's Harp Anthology ( 500+ pages, 2900 harmonicas).

Best Regards

jb

[Gnarly He Man]

Hello, OK Cellos.
The OHS Orchestra Series OK Cello isn't listed or displayed
in the John Whiteman's Harp Anthology ( 500+ pages, 2900 harmonicas).
Best Regards
jb

John will probably want to buy it then! 

[gvelasco]

Before WWII, the Yamaha harmonica company was named "Nippon Gakki," which I think translates to "Made in Japan".

Nippon Gakki means "Japan Instrument". I used to work at a music store that was a Yamaha dealer before Yamaha instruments became a popular here. They've always made excellent instruments, but at the time there was a bit of a prejudice against "Japanese" stuff. Now, the Yamaha instruments made in Japan as opposed to Taiwan, China, etc. are collectable.

Yamaha began as a musical instrument manufacturing company - free reed organs, to be precise. They branched out from there into other musical instruments, medical equipment, motorcycles, etc. Their official logo still incorporates three crossed tuning forks which is a reminder of their beginnings as a musical instrument manufacturer.

[jakedasnake]

Here you go John

[jakedasnake]

Sorry it took so long .Thanks for valuable above information John.You are a harmonica maestro.Thank you also A.J and Gary for your info.I bought it from an old lady at a garage sale.She said her dad used to play it.The sound on it is outstanding.The richest I have heard but unfortunately it uses to much air and I do not know how to adjust that.

[John Broecker]

Hello GVelasco (Gabriel) and Jacob (Jakedasnake).

Gabriel, thanks for the information on the Yamaha harmonica company. When was it founded? Is the harmonica maker still in business?

Jacob, here's some interesting information about a different (?) harmonica brand that has a trademark resembling your cello harp's trademark
(your harp has a heart logo with an OK inside the heart shape, no company name). This information is from John Whiteman's Harp Anthology,
which doesn't list your OK cello harmonica.

The Oseisha K. harmonica company of Japan has been in existence since at least 1910. I don't know if it's still in existence. The company logo
is a heart, with "KO" inside the heart shape.

Oseisha K. has made these models at one time or another: Bugle Call tremolo, 16 double holes, single sided;
Honorarium Soldiers (might be either circa 1900 or WW1 era) 16 double holes, but a single reed per note harmonica,
with only one reed plate? and the telescoping cardboard box has an illustration of soldiers on horseback;
and the New Improved Pipe Organ tremolo, listed as 1910 vintage.

It's possible that Oseisha K with the heart logo and  (KO);  and your harp, with the heart logo and (OK) might be the same company.

Best Regards

jb

[clyde]

There are many pic's of this brand, most are not very good.  While not the same model these are good pic's
 Oseisha K

[clyde]

Humm did not work

[clyde]

http://picclick.com/VINTAGE-OSEISHA-HARMONICA-JAPAN-32-HOLE-MUSICAL-121177427124.html

There ya go

[jakedasnake]

I think you nailed it John.Great effort.We will get it yet!!Whiteman lists something about a harmonica with the heart logo and OK inside it.Hotz to Schoenhut ..book 3 of 4 ...page 12..I was able to look at it by putting .. Oseisha K harmonica ok.. into the google search.