THE HOFNER GUITAR CATALOGUES - PART I

1931 TO 1972

The following illustrations are scans of Hofner catalogues and marketing leaflets which stretch back to the time when the Hofner Company were based in Schönbach in the Bohemia area of the Czech Republic. After being expelled from that region after the Second World War, Hofner initially recommenced operations in Möhrendorf near Erlangen in Bavaria and then moved to more permanent workshops in nearby Bubenreuth in 1951.

The early Hofner catalogues were large volumes, full of orchestral stringed instruments and their accessories with only a few pages devoted to guitars. They were probably only intended to be supplied to Hofner's own salesmen and their larger wholesale and retail customers. However, as guitar making became a major part of the Company's activities, from 1951 separate catalogues for guitars became the norm. As the guitar range increased in the mid 1950's, market targeting increased with the issue of several leaflets specific to Electric Guitars, Bass Guitars, Western Guitars, Concert Guitars, and Wander Guitars, more suitable for issue to all prospective customers.

CATALOGUE COVER PAGE	PERIOD

	1931 (SCHÖNBACH) ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

	1937 (SCHÖNBACH) ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

	1950 (MÖHRENDORF) ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

	1951 (BUBENREUTH) ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

	1951 (BUBENREUTH) GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1952 GUITAR CATALOGUE View Whole Catalogue

	1953 GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1955 GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1956 GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1957-61 GUITAR CATALOGUE View Whole Catalogue

	1962 GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1963 GUITAR CATALOGUE (75 YEAR ANNIVERSARY)

	1964 ARCHTOPS LEAFLET

	1964 CONCERT CLASSICAL GUITARS LEAFLET

	1964 WANDER GUITARS LEAFLET

	1965 GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE View Whole Catalogue

	1966 SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

	1966 ELECTRIC GUITARS LEAFLET

	1966 BASS GUITARS LEAFLET

	1967 to 1975 CONCERT GUITARS LEAFLET

	1967 FLAT TOP GUITARS LEAFLET

	1968 to 1975 WANDER GUITARS LEAFLET

	1967 to 1976 WESTERN GUITARS LEAFLET

	1968 to 1969 ELECTRIC GUITARS LEAFLET

	1968 to c1980 BASS GUITARS LEAFLET

	1969 SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

	c1969/70 US SORKIN GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE

	1970 to 1975 SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

	1971 GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE View Whole Catalogue

	c1971/72 US SORKIN GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE