sears and roebuck

[potatoe]

a freind of mind discovered what appears to be a quite old mandolin, and knowing that i played it, asked me to check it out. the labled is damaged, but i think i can make out the 'roebuck' of 'sears and roebuck'. the label goes on to talk about checking out the companies 3000 page catalog. which makes me pretty well convinced that this is a seras mandolin.

unforutnatly, its in VERY poor condition. the body is peeling apart, and you can see through the bowl. it still has what (i presume) to be the original bridge and hardware. one lone string remians in what would be the 'e' osition. however, its roughly the size of a 'g' string. so perhaps its left handed, or stringed poorly.

anyways, ill try to get some pictures up when i can see the instrument again. in teh meantime, where can i find more information on sears mandolins? are they worth anything?

[John Flynn]

Sears marketed guitars and other instruments under the "Silvertone" brand for years. I believe most of the fretted instruments were actually made by Harmony. The link below is to a listing at Flying Pig Music for a Sears mando for $259. This is almost certainly a Harmony, with its characteristic "three piece" F-holes.

http://www.flyingpigmusic.com/searsmandolin.htm

[odeman]

'Talking about a "bowl", it sounds older than the Silvertone/ Harmony era. I've seen some OLD Sears & Roebuck catalogs that list "tater bug" mandolins with the bowl backs. They are probably not collectors items, bacause they retailed for around $3.50 - $4.00 in the 1920's. To be an antique/collectible they have to be old as well as very well constructed (usually by hand). Take your mandolin, clean it up, stick some ferns in the sound hole and hang it on the wall

[potatoe]

yeah, it is a tater-bug. sorry ofor any confusion. it doesent look to be constructed particularly well either. the pick guard around the hole MIGHT be tortoise shell. if i can convince the owner to let me fix it up it would be a fun project.