Posted 12 months ago
kwqd
(1159 items)
"Lindner's Musicall" Improved Harmonica Type Pitch Pipe A-440 made by W. Kratt Co. and distributed by Harold Lindner Co. Made in the US of A, so you know it is vintage.
The Smithsonian Institute has one of these in their collection:
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1306490
A cheap, interesting ebay find.
Thanks for the pitch pipe luv, dav2no1, mikelv85, Jenni, sherrilou, fortapache, Falcon61, Vynil33rpm, Kevin, AnythingObscure, DejaVu2, and collectorpaul!
kwqd, Cool. :-)
Some history of Kratt:
https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/3077795.htm
FYI, I checked out that address in Union, NJ, and when you look at the irregular shape in Google Maps, it does seem possible that the factory building is still there, but has been remodeled/repurposed:
988 Johnson Pl, Union, NJ 07083
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jqEqFpnXn3fss7ZX7
Some of Kratt's pitch pipe patents, although all of them seem to pertain to the circular style, rather than the harmonica style:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1538336
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1796795
https://patents.google.com/patent/US2837954
Last but not necessarily least, your post made me remember that I recently was noodling around the Net about pitch, and uncovered some history of the A-440 standard. The stuff about the 1939 international conference recommendation is standard history, but some of the conspiracy theories are...*cough*...interesting:
https://jakubmarian.com/the-432-hz-vs-440-hz-conspiracy-theory/
Here's my current favorite:
*snip*
One of the most vocal proponents of 432 hz is Brian Collins, who runs the website omega432.com. In order to witness the power of 432 hz, Collins recommends purchasing several frequencies of tuning forks (including a 432), striking them, inserting them into separate glasses of water, and then tasting the water in each glass. This will obviously somehow exhibit the superiority of 432 hz.
*snip*
https://www.nolapiano.com/blog/2015/9/27/a440-vs-a432
What originally made me look into A-440 was something that I can't lay my cyber hands on again right this minute, but it was information that some people with perfect pitch might get a headache listening to music tuned to a standard other than the one to which they're accustomed. Yeah.
Thankfully, that ain't a problem for me. I probably don't need a bucket to carry a tune, but neither do I have perfect pitch. };-)
Very interesting, keramikos! Thanks for the links.
kwqd, You're welcome. :-)
I toast your health with a glass of 440 Hz flavored water (I tried the 432 Hz stuff, but it wasn't really for me). };-)
Thank you, kivatinitz, kev123, Blammoammo, Cisum, Reise, vcal and Kevin!
Thanks, jscott0363!