Yesterday I kicked off my 2nd annual Online Gifts For Sax Players directory. Today I’d like to bring a very lovely little M. Hohner collectible to your attention.
These Hohner Saxes—toy instruments that the company at one time called Saxonettes—are featured on the main portion of my site, as well as in blog entries of June 8, 2009, and December 3, 2009.
However, what makes this particular one different than most of the ones we’ve seen over the years, is that this one is complete. It has all of its keys and also its mouthpiece. Its overall condition is also better, in that it doesn’t appear to suffer from corrosion like many that have been up for auction in recent history.
Source: eBay.com
The seller describes this saxophone-shaped collectible like this:
Although it looks lide a Saxophone, it sounds more like a Harmonica. Not surprised, considering it was made by M.Hohner of Germany. All brass construction. It still works!! Good luck bidding!
Source: eBay.com
The auction for this vintage, German, saxophone-shaped toy made by the M. Hohner company ends tomorrow, November 19. At the time of writing there were 4 bids on this little horn, with the high bid being $36.99.
Update: This little toy really surprised me. Given the fact that it was actually complete and not broken—unlike most of the examples sold on eBay—I’m surprised that this little Hohner toy sax didn’t sell for more.
By the time the auction ended only 4 people bid on this vintage, German, saxophone-shaped toy. The winner got it for only $36.99.
It’s interesting. I don’t believe a seller has described the sound of these little toy horns before. As you say Mal-2 it would make sense that they sound like a harmonica, since they use free reeds, just like the harmonica and melodica do.
It darn well SHOULD sound like a harmonica, as the seller noted, considering that’s almost what it is. Actually it’s more similar to a melodica but shaped like a sax instead of a keyboard. The main difference between this or a melodica, as opposed to a harmonica, is that you only blow through it. With a harmonica, you both blow and draw, and get different notes each way.