National Music Museum - Alan G. Bates Collection

The Alan G. Bates harmonica collection contains a fascinating and eclectic assortment of more than 2,500 instruments, display cases and harmonica-related ephemera.  Until they were donated to the NMM, Alan's harmonicas were artfully displayed at his home (click on the panoramic photo above by Robert Gilberg, New York City).

Click here to visit The Alan G. Gates Harmonica Collection website.

After he owned 100 instruments or so, Alan heard about a harmonica collection which had been donated to the Smithsonian Institution by a collector named Peter Kassan.  He arranged for a behind-the-scenes visit to see the Kassan harmonicas.  How could so many marvelous instruments have been collected by one person?   This discovery offered an irresistible challenge.  Alan resolved to build the best harmonica collection in this country.  Fortunately, this proved to be do-able in 1991.  Back then, harmonicas were fairly easy to find, mostly at modest prices.  Even with an unlimited budget, such a feat would be impossible today.  Unusual harmonicas have become highly sought after and the internet auction website, eBay, has assured that no bargains will be had. The best ones have been absorbed into private collections where they will stay for decades.

People seem to marvel that a collection of 2,500 diverse models, display cases, etc. could have been assembled in 10 years or less.  But Alan claims it wasn't hard--just time consuming.  Preparing ad copy, weekly flea market visits, forays to distant antique shows--even to Europe--occupied much of his time.  Hard work and persistence really worked.  The collection grew to about four times the size of the Smithsonian's, with a special emphasis on quality.  Alan became expert at repairing harmonicas and their little cardboard boxes (which often are more appealing than the instruments themselves.)

To complement his encyclopedic harmonica collection already housed at the NMM, Alan G. Bates shipped his entire documentary collection of harmonica trade literature and paper ephemera to Vermillion late in the summer of 2008. The Bates Trade Literature and Ephemera Archive includes approximately 2,000 pieces, including antique and vintage harmonica catalogs (particularly strong for the Hohner company), price lists, early instruction books, photos of famous players, sheet music, postcards, lobby cards, calendars, posters, sound recordings, video recordings, and related materials. Shown below Hohner catalog of 1939 featuring 3 new models designed by John Vassos (1898-1985), American industrial and graphic designer.

Click here to take a virtual tour of the Alan G. Bates harmonica collection.