Magic Nose Flute in the New Yorker

In the January 12, 1935 issue of the New Yorker magazine, a long article (PP44-49) (called "Onward and upward with the Arts - Life of the party" and signed by Robert M. Coates) was devoted to the glory of the Johnson Smith company, whose catalog of novelties the author had just been studying. The 1935 issue of the J.S. catalog should have been a ±560 pages book, proposing to send you thousands of items. The authors deals with a dozen of those novelties, among them the Magic Nose Flute:



The most funny thing is that the Magic Nose Flute is compared to an eggbeater that someone has stepped on! Here is the 1935 Johnson Smith ad for the Magic Nose Flute (in which you can retrieve the article quotations), and a 1933 eggbeater:

Other Humanatone Ads from Popular Mechanics

We previously posted an article about the advertisement campaign that the Johnson Smith Co. launched in Popular Mechanics (we were interested in the pages including a Magic (Nose) Flute or Humanatone).
But during those years, the Johnson Smith company was not the only novelty mail-order company to advertise for the Humanatone. Indeed, I found 3 other competitors selling the tin nose flute through Popular Mechanics.

Oaks Magical Co.

The Oaks Magical Co. was settled in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and was selling novelties, gadgets and magic tricks, exactly as Johnson Smith. It was founded (1913) and run by the magician John H. Oaks (1889-1918), known as "The Mighty Oaks, the Handcuff King", and by his family after his death.

In the following ad, note that the text is very similar (if not identical) to the Johnson Smith text: it was coming from the Humanatone Co. itself. The illustration is the "clogged" version, the ones without visible stampings, as it appears from Nov. 1928 in the Johnson Smith ads, meaning this modification probably came directly from the Humanatone Co.

October, November and December 1929 Oaks Magical Co. advertisement

Scientific Novelty Co.

The Scientific Novelty Co. was based in Greenwich, New York, and was specialized in optical and electric novelties and gadgets. Again, the text of their ad is a rewritten version of the "official" one. Here, the nose flute is called Humanatone (and not "Magic (Nose) Flute"). The engraving is different from J.S. and Oaks. I don't know where it came from (a music instrument catalog? which one?), but not from the Humanatone Co., as far as I know. Could it be possible it was original? (I doubt of it).

November 1929 Scientific Novelty Co. advertisement

Heaney Magic Co.

As Johnson Smith and Oaks Magical, the Heaney Magic Co. was base in Wisconsin (Berlin). As Oaks, it was specialized in magic tricks and novelties. It was founded by Gerald Heaney, a magician known as "Heaney the Great". It is very interesting that the catalog pages are hand written and the illustration drawn (see the full page below). The Humanatone advertisement illustration are reinterpretations of the engravings printed on the Humanatone user manual. The price, 20c. in 1924, is 5c lower than in Johnson Smith ads.

February 1924 Heaney Magic Co. advertisement

---

Scientific Novelty Co. and Heaney Magic Co. pages in Popular Mechanics

Humanatone: Johnson Smith Campaign in Popular Mechanics

Johnson Smith was a mail-order company established in 1914 in Chicago. Besides a catalog that became thicker and thicker through the years, the company put ads in magazines: one or two pages full of novelties. As a best seller, the Magic Nose Flute (Humanatone) tin nose flute frequently appeared in magazines devoted to children and young adults, like Popular Mechanics, which is totally consultable here, from 1905 to 2005 issues.

Dec. 1917 and Sep. 1931 Johnson Smith ad pages, featuring the Humanatone:

The first advertisement by Johnson Smith in Popular Mechanics mentioning the Magic Flute was published in Jan. 1917. It was a simple line in a list of the "Latest Surprising and Joke Novelties". The price of the Humanatone was 15c, and it was listed at 7th position. In September, it gained one rank, when the "Big Roll Stage Money" was removed.

Jan. 1917:

But the real first individualized « Magic Flute » ad in Popular Mechanics dates of November 1917, and is followed by the December one, already different in its typo and lay out. It features an engraving of the flute internal side that was used all the years along. The text and the image clearly express the identity Magic Flute / Humanatone. What happened then? I don't know, since the archives from 1918 to 1920 are not accessible on Google.

Nov. 1917 and Dec. 1917:

But when the archives are available back, there are no more ads for the Humanatone, from Jan. 1921 to Sep. 1922. Then, the same ad is published 3 times, but curiously not in December (is it linked to the 1922 company move from Chicago, Ill. to Racine, Wis.?) The text has been rewritten and the price has raised from 15c to 25c!

Oct. 1922:

Text and price have stabilized when the campaign restarts in November 1923. It will last 53 months before stopping again. Anyway, some Johnson Smith pages in Popular Mechanics were pimped with a color touch... The first one was published in Feb. 1925, with a red titling, which will appear, disappear, reappear ... with a focus on the 2 last months of the year, but not only: the full year 1927 shows this red title.
In March 1927, the price suddenly fell down back from 25c to 15c.

Feb. 1925 and March 1927:

And 5 months later, in August 1927, was raised again to 25c! At the same moment, the headline « Wonderfully Sweet Toned and Musical » was removed, modifying the proportions of the Humanatone ad. For Christmas, Johnson Smith tried an orange background to attract more customers.

August, September and December 1927:

No Magic Flute advertisement from April to November 1928. But when it reappeared, it had gotten a lifting. The name is now « Magic Nose Flute ». The text is still the same, but the word "Nose" has been added between Magic and Flute. More, the stampings visible on the flute (Humanatone and patents) have been erased. And the price has dropped from 25c to 10c! What does it mean? The trade-mark Humanatone is still present in the text... Maybe did Johnson Smith distribute nose flutes not Humanatone stamped (but also produced by the Humanatone Co.) and was it to solve a "contractual picture" issue ?

In February 1930, the "Magic Nose Flute" became the "Nose Flute". Apparently, the removal of the word "Magic" in the title allowed to place the illustration a bit upper, and be able to print the engraving showing the J. S. catalog a bit bigger.

Nov 1928 and Feb. 1930:

There were no Humanatone ad by Johnson Smith from May 1930 to March 1931. When it reappeared, it was unchanged and stayed alike till Aug. 1931 (it then got a red title during 4 months). But in December 1931, the text got some changes, in order to reduce the advertisement surface: the ending was cut ("When played as an accompaniment to a piano or any other musical instrument, the effect is as charming as it is surprising.")

Aug 1931 and Dec. 1931:

The last Humanatone ad that Johnson Smith published in Popular Mechanics was in the March 1932 issue. Anyway, the mail-order company continued to propose the Humanatone in its own catalog, during many many years (check this post for instance)

I made a table with all the occurences I've been able to find:

The Magic Nose Flute in Ellisdon's catalogs

While Johnson Smith was the most prefered novelty catalog in the US (hosting Humanatone and Magic Flute ads), Ellisdon's was its equivalent in the UK.

Ellisdon's catalog cover in the 1930/40's and the 1950's:

The nose flute proposed by Ellisdon's was the Magic Nose Flute, other name for the Humanatone or, more likely, of the Humanaphone, which was the British make of the Humanatone (this is just an hypothesis, but we are convinced of its reality, notably because of the visits of G. Stivers in London, etc.) Why do we write Humanaphone? Because the Humanaphone was stamped "ALL BRITISH MAKE", and the Magic Nose Flute — as drawn in the Ellisdon's early catalog — show a BRITISH MAKE stamping. Anyway, this stamping has disappeared in the 1950's ads. Is it significant of a change in the nose flute manufacturing? What's sure, is that it could correspond to the Humanatone Co. sale by the Stivers to Fred Gretsch. And also, it is certain that the change was intentional, since it is the original drawing that has been modified (and not a new drawing that would have neglected this stamping detail).

Another interesting point is the texts are absolutely the same, excepted for one sentence that does not exist anymore in the 1950's version: « It is made entirely of metal ». Since the modification did not gain a line of text (it's not a typo/lay out need), what is the reason of this correction? Wasn't the 1950's Magic Nose Flute made in metal? Again, we remember that the Humanaphone was *also* the first plastic nose flute. Did Ellisdon's propose a plastic Magic Nose Flute?

[EDIT]: Indeed! Our friend and reader Steven Parkes confirmed his "Ellisdon's" nose flute from 1950's was... a Schwan!

1930/40's advertisement:

1950's advertisement:

The same advertisement — with a renewed presentation text however — is continuously used in the 1960's. Then the ad disappeared.

Here on the back page of the comics Marvelman #3 (1959) and in the 1965 Ellisdon's catalog:

The Magic Flute

I recently had the great opportunity to purchase an old tin nose flute from Scott B., a gentleman living in North Carolina. There was no difficulty at all in identifying the instrument, since it has a very perculiar shape and is stamped with... its name. Many thanks to Scott for having helped me building the collection: the Magic Flute is a real milestone in nose flute history.

This nose flute is easily recognizable by the right angle formed by the top of its air duct. Another typical feature of this instrument is the vertical rectangle shape that has had been cut for the air entrance (remember that this cut is an horizontal oval on a metal Humanatone). Also, and due to its construction, the two nose wings are convex into the nose shield, while they are concave on other models where they form a nose cup.

So, let's say that the Magic Flute is very different from an early Humanatone, but only for the top half, since the mouth shields are very comparable. It is interesting to see both intruments together to make obvious the differences:



But most peculiar characteristic of the Magic Flute is that it was made with only one piece of tin plate. As far as I know, it is the only manufactured metal nose flute that has ever been made from only one piece at the stamping press. I designed for you the template of the flat instrument :



The Magic Flute production was frugal in metal plate, since the pattern interlocking is nicely efficient:



---

The Magic Flute appeared (for the 1st time?) in the music instruments Howe catalog, in Chicago, 1903 issue (which means a probable 1902 printing), meaning its production is prior to the Stivers' Humanatone [July 1903] (but the brand "Humanatone" is earlier: 1893-94).



On the other hand, the Magic Flute is stamped on the air duct cover:



Now, the patent dates appearing here refer to... Garrett J. Couchois' patents

Since we know that the Couchois' whistle was really produced, the Magic Flute was the third model of nose flute ever manufactured (afaik), just before the Humanatone. We may state that the order of appearance was:

1- The Nasalette, by W. Carter, in 1892-93 (probably launched at Chicago World Fair, maybe under the name Humanatone)
2- The nose flute by G. J. Couchois, in ±1900.
3- The Magic Flute by ??, in ±1902.
4- The Humanatone by J.J. Stivers in july 1903.

And according to this, we are able to specify that the Magic Flute was the first nose flute with a mouth shield, invention that became typical of any metal or plastic nose flute (metal Humanatone, Wunderflöte, plastic Humanatone, Schwann, Bocarina...). It was also the very first model proposing a lip rest (that is still in use on the Schwann model).

---

My hypothesis - but whether I already possess "sparse pieces of evidence", I built no real "historical proof" yet - is that William Carter launched his nose flute under the name Humanatone (the patent name was "Nasalette") at the Chicago Columbus fair in 1893 (there is a 1894 record of the Brand Humanatone, plus a late testimony in a 1922 journal of the presence of the Humanatone at the fair). Chicago Fair is where Couchois (piano seller) discovered the instrument, then built his own in New York, which clearly is an improvement derivating from the original Nasalette. Did he buy/use the brand Humanatone? It is likely, because a 1905 testimony state that Couchois , as a "fakir", was playing and selling Humanatones "4 or 5 years ago", that is, in 1900-1901. This is the moment when Couchois' nose flutes are manufactured. Can we imagine that Garrett Couchois would have produced his own nose flute but sold another one? Certainly not. So his own should have been named "Humanatone".
Then, in 1902, the Magic Flute is issued, stamped with Couchois' patents numbers. (Was it produced by Couchois too? I have no idea on that point). What is sure is that the next year, the Stivers bought the rights from Carter's and Couchois' patents, and registered the trademark Humanatone. But that's not all: they also bought the brand Magic Flute (check my evidence here). It is more than likely that the shape of the Humanatone was an improvement of the Magic Flute model (but the Humanatone is stamped with Carter's and Couchois' pat. numbers). Then, both the brands Humanatone and Magic (Nose) Flute were used to sell the same instrument, depending on the "sales target" (Humanatone as an instrument, Magic Flute as a toy), and finally with no regards on the type of public anymore. In 1943, Fred Gretsch bought the name Humanatone and associated it to another model of nose flute, the plastic injected one, patented by Ernest W. Davis in 1940.


---

One last word, and maybe the most important. The Magic Flute was a good instrument, with a precise and powerful sound! Here is a short sound sample:




And big thanks again to Scott B. !

Humanatone/Magic Nose Flute: Ultimate evidence

Was the metal Humanatone and the Magic Nose Flute the same? YES. I found the ultimate evidence in the Johnson Smith catalogs. Why didn't I notice this before?

In the following edition (1928), nose flutes appear 2 times: on page 40 and on page 273. The first one is a Magic Nose Flute and the second is a Humanatone. But... but the reference numbers are the same! So, it's the same item!



And ten years later, in 1938, it is till the same. Pages 32 and 568:



The identity of the Humanatone and the Magic Nose Flute is proven. But remains the question of the Magic Flute.



The trade-mark Magic Flute was registered in Australia and New Zealand. The flute is the exact double of the early (rounded cap) Humanatone, in any very detail... Was it a local brand for the Humanatone? It could have been...

On the Johnson Smith Co. website, one can read: « The Johnson Smith Company™ is one of America’s oldest catalogs companies. In 1905, our founder, Alfred Johnson Smith, started selling his novelties and practical jokes in Australia. The company was officially founded in the U.S.A. in 1914, when Mr. Smith shipped his first package from Chicago. »

So, the Johnson Smith Co. began its activities in Australia in 1905. Is there a link to find here?

Two other Humanatone Ads

Another evidence that the Magic (Nose) Flute was the same product that the Humanatone. In this 1932 Johnson Smith novelties catalog, the picture displayed for the Magic Flute is a Humanatone, on which you can read the name. And the texts says « Magic Flute, or Humanatone », both with caps initials, because they are used as proper nouns.



Funny to notice it was presented together with the "Nose Blower" (which was a kind of nasty device called nowadays "fart whistle")

As already noticed before, the name Magic (Nose) Flute seems to be have been used in novelties and toys catalogs, while the brand Humanatone was reserved to music instruments ones. However, with the time, things became more intricated, and the novelties dealers added the name Humanatone to take benefit of its fame.

So, in the 1930's, the noun Humanatone also appears alone in pure toys catalogs. This ad in the 1931 Kindel Graham catalog was classified in the jokes section, not in the music instruments one.

----

About metal Humanatones, check :

- Humanatone - part I : the metallic era
- New Humanatone ads
- The Two metal Humanatones
- Another metal Humanatone
- Humanatone boxes
- Another Humanatone box
- Humanatone: A very early user manual
- The Magic (Nose) Flute: only questions... .
- A Humanatone and clones chronology
- A Humanatone in 1892 ?
- Humanatone: Early promotional demos
- Another Humanatone archive
- Huma... something
- Rectification: Humanatone appearance date
- Great paper from 1903
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part I
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part II
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part III
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part IV
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part V
- A Humanatone as a scientific tool
- Two other Humanatone Ads

And on later Humanatones :

- Humanatone - Part II : the Gretsch plastic era
- Humanatone - Part III : the Gretsch metal era

-----

Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part V

With the "Nose Flute Pioneers" series, Noseflute.org enters a little cycle of research. I hope it won't be too arid for a blog, but I really think that the facts I found have to be published. The sources : Google patents, US Census and an access to newspaper archives. But also, depending on the topic, correspondence by e-mail with descendants. Let's better say : internet searching tools available for a Frenchie not able to access US real paper archives.

---

Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part V

The Stivers: Glorious Posterity


[sequel of Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV]


In January 1923, James J. is coming back from Cuba, aboard the SS Cartago. No reason for the visit was noted on the passengers list. Was he in the Havana to watch his brother racing? If so, the winter season would give a preference for horse racing, according to the Oriental Park racetrack usage. Or was he in Cuba to spread the Humanatone fame? I don't know.



In 1925, at the age of 44 and still bachelor, James J. finally left his parents' home, and resides at 441 W56th. His father George W. (and Frances) move to Broadway Central Hotel. And the shop is installed on Broadway, #407. It's a quite elegant store, in a strategic place.



Yes, 1925 was an important years for the Stivers, but also for another reason. Indeed, in July, George Washington Stivers, the founder of G.W. Stivers & Co, passed away at the age of 71.



Is Frances, George W. I's wife still alive? I don't know. What did her children Ellen (51 in 1925), Frances II (45), May (39), Kathryn (25) become? I don't know. Nor for May, George II's daughter (?) (she's 28).

George Walter is still in jail, either Sing Sing or already in Dannemora.

After their father's death, the two brothers continued to develop the Humanatone Market. The trade-Mark "Humanatone", [No 208,915], filed May 13, is renewed Feb. 9, 1926, with a new and condensed typo. No more lion.



It is probably from that year that the "new" box was issued, using the new typo and with its user manual:



It seems that James Stivers decided then to launch a serious attack on the West Coast. Indeed, in 1930, George W. II is still in New York, having in charge the Broadway store (he bought a house to 8558 Fleet St.)...



... but James J. has moved to California. He lives in Los Angeles (521 San Julian st.) and is "proprietor" of a "Novelty store". Where was it located?



James J.'s home, in San Julian st.:



What happened then? We know that the Humanatone nose flute fame went growing and growing, despite its competitors threat. Was the Magic Nose Flute appearing in any novelties and toys catalog a re-branded Humanatone? I'm incline to think so, the "Humanatone" brand reserved to music instruments lists, and the Magic Nose Flute in toys ones. I already discussed that matter, with pieces of evidence, in this post.

Popular Mechanics, Nov. 1928. During this Humanatone "golden age", if a competitor had used the name "Humanatone" in a novelty catalog, there would have been, at least, a complaint. But this ad was identically republished in the Oct. 1929 and Nov. 1930 issues (many other evidences here)



The well-known plastic Humanatone was launched by Gretsch in 1942-43, and the brand Humanatone was certainly bought from the Stivers in 1942 (however, the renewal of the brand by Gretsch happened only on the legal renewal date (after 20 years), on Feb. 9, 1946).



What happened exactly?

« After his father retired in 1942, Fred Jr. managed the company briefly then left the company to serve with distinction as a commander in the Navy during World War II. He returned to the family business after the war and became president in 1948 when his brother Bill died at the age of 41. » [source]

So, it is very likely that Fred Jr., very cleverly:
- Bought the June 1941 Ernest W. Davis nose flute patent
- Associated it with the most famous brand, Humanatone, bought from the Stivers.

But that's another story...

Fred Gretsch Jr.:


After the Stivers sold the brand to the Fred Gretsch mfg Co., it seems they continued to produce their metallic nose flutes. Indeed, the Magic Nose Flute was still available in the novelties catalogs, and this, at least until 1950.

Here, in the Johnson Smith catalog, 1950:


In 1950, George W. II was 74, James J., 69, and it is probable they retired soon. The brand Humanatone began to live a new life of fame, and the last metallic flutes disappeared. The Davis' plastic Gretsch and, in 1955 the Weidlich & Lohse Swan, replaced them.

---

Here the genealogy of the Stivers family as I was able to trace it, showing the "George(s) W. Stivers" strain"





-----

On the same topic :

- Nose Flute Pioneers: William G. Carter - Part I
- Nose Flute Pioneers: William G. Carter - Part II
- Nose Flute Pioneers: William G. Carter - Part III
- Nose Flute Pioneers: Ernest W. Davis - Part I
- Nose Flute Pioneers: Ernest W. Davis - Part II
- Nose Flute Pioneers: Nelson Ronsheim
- Nose Flute Pioneers: Garrett J. Couchois
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part I
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part II
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part III
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part IV
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part V

----

About metal Humanatones, check :

- Humanatone - part I : the metallic era
- New Humanatone ads
- The Two metal Humanatones
- Another metal Humanatone
- Humanatone boxes
- Another Humanatone box
- Humanatone: A very early user manual
- The Magic (Nose) Flute: only questions... .
- A Humanatone and clones chronology
- A Humanatone in 1892 ?
- Humanatone: Early promotional demos
- Another Humanatone archive
- Huma... something
- Rectification: Humanatone appearance date
- Great paper from 1903
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part I
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part II
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part III
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part IV
- Nose Flute Pioneers: The Stivers - Part V
- A Humanatone as a scientific tool
- Two other Humanatone Ads

And on later Humanatones :

- Humanatone - Part II : the Gretsch plastic era
- Humanatone - Part III : the Gretsch metal era

-----