Loar #76547

[OlderThanWillie]

From reading the Wintergrass posts, I understand that there is a newly discovered Loar F5. Can anyone tell me the story of its discovery? Where was it, how was it discovered, who owned it previously, etc.?

How many more are likely to be found?

[mandoJeremy]

I think you can find an earlier thread on this discovery but I don't think you will find many names besides Loar. I suppose that Loar owners want to remain anonymous for good reason.

[Scott Tichenor]

The owners, a super-nice couple from Seattle emailed me a few months ago and said they'd become aware they had an instrument that was probably of significant value and that they wanted an appraisal and some advice. It had been in there possession about 18 months before they got wind of it's significance.

The instrument was purchased by the grandfather new. He played on radio shows in Pennsylvania if I recall the story correctly. He passed away in 1951 or 52 and it sat in the case in the house for the next 50+ years until passed down to the grandson.

I got them in touch with Darryl Wolfe who did an appraisal. Also got them in touch with Dan Beinborm and he documented it right here (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?2781) and the Mandolin Archive web site. I met them at WinterGrass, had several repair experts look it over and Saturday a.m. we removed the 50+ year old strings and I got to be the first one to give it a tune in some time. A stunning experience--a great sound immediately. It almost played itself. Of course everything is original including the case which I haven't seen because it's in a Calton now. It still needs a trip to see Frank Ford and I understand that's likely in the works now.

There's no interest in selling it and they have a promise to the daughter (the current owner's mother) to never sell it. Trying to get Mandolin Quarterly to do a story on it. They even have some sheet music from the original owner and some photos of him playing it.

Interesting side note is that I got to spend a lot of time with Jack and Sharon, the current owners. They obviously don't play mandolin but have really enjoyed this turn of events in their life--not in a dollar value sense but just in meeting new people, sharing the story and enjoying the responsibility that comes in owning something of this nature. Jack posts out here on occasion at user 76547 and maybe he'll chime in here. I'll post a picture of them if I can find it and I have their permission to do so.

[Scott Tichenor]

Here they are. I kid them that they're the winners of the mandolin lottery most of us dream about--the impossible that really can still happen.

[Nalapombu]

Cool Story!!! Can you tell us how they came to know they had a significant piece of mandolin history? Did he just start looking for information on the Internet based on "Loar" or "Gibson" and then realize that he potentially had the find of a lifetime?
Does he play now or is he going to start taking lessons? What would be a real knee slapper would be for him to walk into a mando teacher to take his first lesson and then see the look on the teachers face when he says "hey let me see your mandolin."
Really Cool Story....

Nala