Patented in 1983, another circular harmonica with a mouthpiece, invented by another Taiwanese resident, Chien-Shu Hwang. The inventor claims several advantages for his design, including the following: "The positions of the player's mouth and harmonica can remain unchanged in the course of playing so as to avoid a health hazard." I am not sure that I understand to which particular health hazards Mr Hwang believes we players of conventionally shaped harmonicas are expose, but I wish his decidedly unconventional instrument had made it to the market place.
This design was also covered by German Patent 3115093 and Italian Patent 1138037.
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