From the National Air and Space Museum, in the Wright Brothers exhibit in D.C. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
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From the National Air and Space Museum, in the Wright Brothers exhibit in D.C. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Photos of this mandolin were previously posted in this thread, but they were not as clear.
Lyon & Healy
"He sits around and picks that thing until I can hardly stay in the house."
- Katharine Wright
Nice spousal support! Just goes to prove the old saying, "Behind every great man, there is a good woman...holding him back!" She probably tried to discourage that "aeroplane thing" he was working on also!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...ns/biggrin.gif
Come to find out, Katherine was his sister. I'm not sure either of the Wright boys ever married. Sounds like a good case of sibling rivalry though!
Lynn
Lynn, when are you going to make the Dude replica of the Orv mandolin? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...cons/smile.gif
Jim
I haven't seen chenilled strings in a long time. Can you still get them, or are those strings that old?
OMGosh - thats my mandolin!
Well almost - the fretboard overhang is different - which possibly explains why I am not an aeronautical genius.
Mine is a Washburn - someone told me between 1897 and 1905.
The picture of Orville's mando is a Washburn as well... made by Lyon & Healy.Quote:
Originally Posted by (JeffD @ April 28 2007, 16:14)
Orville's looks like a somewhat older model possibly a model 122, pre-1900. Jeff's has extended fretboard and more elaborate binding.
Jim
Do you think Orville played that mandolin the wright way?
I would love to get one of those for $33.75!
The letter hints that Orville may have been somewhat passionate about the mandolin. That is pretty cool.
I wonder if anyone has compiled a list of historically significant and fameous people who also played mandolin (i.e. they aren't fameous FOR playing the mandolin.)
I didn't pay that much more for the last Washburn bowlback I bought a few years ago. It would be interesting to find out how much 33.75 equates to in today's dollars.
You won't believe your eyes.
Edit: this link takes you to an inflation calculator. It won't display the calculation page I arrived at, but if you click on "try again" and enter 33.75, 1900 and 2006, you will be surprised, I believe.
Actually I am. $788.00, basically the cost of a decent entry level pacrim instrument. I wonder what the Martin's cost with the same trim level.
I'm sure Jim Garber has a catalog someplace.
Interesting. The lower Martin styles around 1900 pricewise would be #2 at $30 and #3 at $35. I would say, in general, those were better quality and slightly more ornate mandolins than the Washburn tho they were definitely in competition. I got these prices from Mike Longworth's Martin book (based on Martin's exact recordkeeping).
Jim
There is a mandolin up on ebay that looks to be a #122, similar to Orville's, for under $250, though not in new condition.
I don't know how to post a link to it, but it is item number: 230123167428.
It is really neat that through the shared passion of mandolins we can "connect" with history.
Further confirmation, it is a #122! Woo hoo!
Interesting, they started out at basically the same price. I would have expected a difference even then. There is certainly a price difference now.Quote:
Originally Posted by
[Quote] I wonder if anyone has compiled a list of historically significant and fameous people who also played mandolin (i.e. they aren't fameous FOR playing the mandolin.)
I understand Patrick Henry played the mandolin.
Not for nothin, but: We ARE talking about THE "Orville Wright" of airplane fame, correct?
-Soupy1957
Good God, I think Mrs. Wright was reincarnated as my wife! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...ticons/sad.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by