[Alan Brinton]

Thanks to both Jazzman and Daren. The information I have been able to obtain in the past all squares with the story that is told by these two quotations.

As you know, Daren, I started working on a sketch of the history of the melodica a couple of years ago, with your encouragement. It turned out to be so ope-ended and with so many uncertainties, that I eventually set it aside and devoted my energy to collecting and making contributions about particular models in the Vintage Melodicas Forum.

However, I have an unfinished draft, which I will send you today, also to Jazzman if I have his email address. It was getting too speculative in places and I’m sure needs corrections.

Bruno will see this conversation. Maybe he’ll send a photo. I take his word for it, though, and think that it’s possible that his Pro 36 was actually produced in 1958, though it might be that it was just in development then and the dated part was being made. Some of what goes on (has gone on) at Hohner is known only to insiders. Bruno has also found some more recent information about this, though, as a member of an international spy ring, he’s close with his sources. In the public Hohner information and advertising, there is almost nothing about the Professional 36, up into the 1960s and later, and I have been able to find nothing about the Soloist, though we know from Oscar that it exists. There is evidence that the Professional was in existence in the early 1960s, 1961 if memory serves here — I think I have something or saw something. But no mention of it by Hohner at that time, that I know of. So the fact that Hohner statements about 1958 make no mention of it doesn’t mean much to me.