date of mandolin?

[sealman]

Hi, Mandolin Maniacs. This is quite a site.

I got this mandolin yesterday, as a decorative object. I'm not really too concerned with its quality or "value" as a musical instrument (it presumably was a mail-order mandolin for the masses, back in the day), but I'd like to know a date for it. Any info appreciated! Have a great day.:)

There is a sticker inside: "Montgomery Ward & Co., The Glenwood, Chicago"
Serial number: 202623

[sealman]

I found this ad, in Machinists Monthly Journal (!?), from 1904. Similar looking mandolin (but hard to tell)

http://books.google.com/books?id=aSHOAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1148&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0pwcrqzJRGgQKsqbzr0rT8KfcEfw&ci=473%2C664%2C400%2C553&edge=0

[MikeEdgerton]

It looks like one of the standard Lyon & Healy models. Get a copy of Hubert Pleijsier's book Washburn, Prewar Instrument Styles. It looks very similar to the Style 73 on page 128 of my copy. Wards didn't manufacture anything and Lyon & Healy made instruments for the trade as well as with their own brand names on them. Both Wards and L&H were Chicago based companies. It would have been made right around 1900.

[sealman]

Cool, thanks for reply. Great info. Some of that book is on Google, it looks like an awesome book, I'm going to try the library tomorrow.

We put the lightest strings from the neighborhood store on it (10,14,24,34), and were able to get a decent sound. I'm surprised at the tone and especially volume. My daughter (violinist) was picking out some bach on it, sounded pretty good (except the intonation is terrible). I've detuned those strings, thinking that's a lot of tension on old neck.

Thanks again. Regards.

[Jim Garber]

The Style 73 is a Washburn of better quality and earlier (see the pickguard). I think this one is later, possibly a Lakeside (more of a budget model) from 1912-13.

[sealman]

Thank you very much, you've both been very helpful. Greatly appreciated.