CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Harley Crain, 81, of Chesterfield will tell you he's a lousy harmonica player. Crain is not known for harmony, he's known for his harmonicas.
"My wife said I was obsessed and I said what's your point," Crain said laughing.
His collection started with just a few harmonicas passed down from his grandfather.
"It just grew, and kept growing, growing and growing," Crain said.
He now has about 6,700. Crain stores the harmonicas in his basement. He believes it might just be the largest privately owned collection in the world.
"I have the largest outside of the harmonica museum in Germany," Crain said.
Crain has traveled the world looking for harmonicas. His collection includes rare harmonicas that date back to the early 1800's.
He loves the sound of the instrument but it's the history and story that draws him to the harmonica.
"I really spend a lot of my time researching these things to find out where they were made, how they were made, who made them," Crain said.
A famed collection, draws famous people. Some big names have been in Crain's house including the late Stan Musial and Ozzy Osbourne. The rock star signed an Ozzy themed harmonica that Crain had in his collection.
"It's hard to find one I don't have," Crain said.
