In 1857, German watchmaker Matthias Hohner developed the first Hohner harmonica. Matthias, however, was not the first to create a harmonica. Christian Messner, a former watchmaker, established a workshop 30 years prior. Messner’s harmonicas were made by hand and, thus, were rather basic.
Matthias saw the benefits of using new developments made in production and replaced man with machines. He also established a division of labor and used brass instead of molded lead for the reed plates. Because of this, he created a top of the line instrument while keeping costs reasonable.
The demand for harmonicas gradually increased and, in 1879, Hohner was producing approximately 72,000 harmonicas a year and employed over 200 workers. In the early 1900s, Matthias passed the company down to his five sons and production continued to grow. By 1930, employment count was about 4,000 workers.
Harmonicas were in their heyday prior to WWII, as well-known artists across various genres (blues, folk, and western) incorporated its unique sound. Hohner continued to grow into the 1950s with an increased export of harmonicas.
When rock n’ roll broke into the scene in the 1960s, there was a drastic decrease in the want for harmonicas and a greater emphasis on guitar, bass, and drums. With the development of electronic instruments in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Hohner was nearing an all-time low. The company was taken over in 1987 by Kunz Holding, a subsidiary of KHS.
By 1997, Hohner was employing just 600 people and producing beginner level models. In 2001, the company saw its first profit in 20 years.
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