Mandolin ID

[akmandolin]

Please help me ID this mandolin. my cleaning lady brought it over and said it was her grandma's it is older than she is (47) but it has sat in her closet for 30+ years. I'm a guitar player and have some cool old gear, but I don't know a thing about Mandolins. Can anybody help me? Thanks in advance. Jim
http://www.lilypix.com/photos/showalbum.php?aid=2144&uuid=24

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

I'm jealous.....you have a cleaning lady http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[akmandolin]

I should have added there is no numbers or names anywhere on the mandolin. if there was a label on the inside at one time it is gone now..?

oh yeah i have a cleaning lady. she can undo in 2 hours what it takes me a week to do http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Jim Garber]

Looks to me to be an American Conservatory made by Lyon & Healy. I can;t seem to find the exact model number but the headstock with the two points looks like a match and the pickguard is more or less the correct shape tho I can't exactly match the inlay there either.

The 1912 catalog pictures ones with that headstock but they have fancier inlays and a greater number of ribs on the bowl. Your cleaning lady's looks like it has 16 or 18 depending on how you count.

BTW it is missing both the tailpiece cover and the two plates that would cover the tuning gears. The bridge is either unoriginal or has had its ears lopped off.

Jim

[akmandolin]

Jim
Thanks she was curious and living in alaska has its limitations at times.
Jim

[keef]

You posted this also on the LPF, right?

It does look similar to certain Lyon & Healy styles (such as American Conservatory) but it may be some other Chicago made mando. The soundhole shape, tailpiece and purfling are untypical for L&H / AC. Most of these L&H bowlbacks with as many rosewood ribs as this one would have a number stamp on the neck block - is it there?

[Jim Garber]

You posted this also on the LPF, right?
keef:
Pardon my ignorance... what is LPF?

Jim

[Jim Garber]

Well, we are definitely in the right city of origin. Looking thru my jpeg collection I came across two Sammo bowlbacks with identical pickguards. However the peghead does not match. Curious...

According to Mike Holmes (http://www.mugwumps.com):

The Osborn Manufacturing Co. was established in 1897 at Chicago, IL by Samuel C. Osborn. They built guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and other small musical instruments, along with a zither variant for which Osborn was issued patents in 1917. In 1921 they claimed the largest factory of its kind in the country. The instruments were marketed under the Sammo and the Sammos trade marks, the latter being made entirely from koa wood. They were still in business in 1921.

Jim

[akmandolin]

Thanks to all for the info.

LPF=Les Paul Forum