Item Type: Wheatstone ‘Wren’ Mouth Organ

Summary

Full Description: An original “Tutor Leaflet” for the “Wheatstone Wren Mouth Organ”, one of the first instruments permitted to be made by Wheatstone’s as the restrictions on non-war-related manufactures began to be relaxed after the war. This is the only known surviving “Wren” Tutor, and was one of 100,000 printed in March 1946; the leaflet cites as Sole Distributors “Boosey & Hawkes” – who were later to take over - and eventually close - the Wheatstone Company.
The Collection has, in its Section NC.1.2.9, many examples from the range of these rather cheap ‘n’ cheerful mouth organs, made just after the 2^nd World War at the Wheatstone workshops. They made “tremolo” models, “Harmonicas”, “Mouth Organs”, “Vampers”, and the 8-Note Miniature “Buddy” Mouth Organ, from mid-1946 to around 1949. Most instruments have their date of manufacture stamped inside the lid of the case.

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum: 1.2.9-001