Loar Cases Colors/Attributes

I have only seen passing reference to the cases that accompany Loars. I don't know that I have ever seen anything but green interior for '22's, and I know that green is the dominant color through Lloyd's tenure, but I know there are at least four or five in '23 and some in '24 as well that have a red interior, and there is that blue one, if original.

Ken Waltham once stated that there were no red interior cases distributed during Loars years with Gibson.... would this then be evidence that all Loar mandolins with red cases were sold after Lloyd left in Dec ??

How many different case designs have been identified associated with Loars ? I know I saw a reference to an odd "lip" on one case... I think that it could have been a red one as well....

thanks for any comments that you might contribute....

JohnD

I think you've pretty much got it. It seems that a majority of the Loar-era F-5 cases had green lining, but there were quite a few red ones. Yes, I've seen at least one blue one, and there's no reason to believe it isn't original. I can't imagine any reason to think that the red lined cases are not also completely original. It would be interesting to know the basis of Ken's statement that only green cases were available. These cases were made specifically for Gibson F-5 mandolins by Geib & Schaefer Co., Chicago, Ill. The price was $25 and by 1930 was $38. That was quite a bit of money, so I can't imagine a large number of replacements happening. Geib & Schaefer would have had many different colors of plush on hand and I don't know of any evidence that Gibson specified a certain color.

Regarding your other question; there was only one design for Loar-era F-5 cases: the rectangular "Faultless No. 440" case. All the ones I've seen are identical, aside from the color of the plush. A few Loar F-5s have ended up in later cases which have different details.

Steve

Green is the predominant color during Loars tenure. It is impossible to say that red was not used during his tenure, but there are signed Loars in red cases.

Red was predominant later and the first blue one I saw was matched to a '26 Fern. However, the second blue one is a Loar that was at or still is at Elderly

The "odd lip" cases are later and are usually red inside (deep magenta red).

By the same token, there are many Fern (post-Loar mandos) in green cases. It appears green was still being used, or maybe they were simply older, in-stock new cases at that time.

There are many, many, many Loars that "appear" to be in their original case, but that is not TRUE.

If you had 5 Loars and sold one, which case would you put it in???????????????
If you had a keeper Loar with a ratty case, and deal in Loars like many private one person dealers we know, what would you do with the mint case that comes along??????????????????

Also note that there are several Green materials and at least 4 red materials that were used. When?? too deep for me

Darryl is correct. It's a wild guess if they were all green or not. I do know for sure many Loars have been traded/sold over the past 25 years without the original cases they came in. I've seen two shades of green. And I have an "odd" lip with green. The ones that have turned up from the original owners families selling them off like the '23 Fern at Gruhns you could surmise they are indeed their original cases. But if it's a Loar that has been around block a few times don't count on it.

Out of curiosity, does anyone who tours with a Loar actually use the original case?

Interesting comment, but, I must say, I don't think I have ever said that Loar signed F5's did not come in red cases. The most convincing argument for that would be the fact that the very first Loar I ever purchased, and, I was the second owner, was a July 9, 1923, in a red lined case. Undoubtedly it's original case.
I have owned 3 different colours of green, the post Loar colour of a deep burgundy, and a couple of reds in the Loar period.
Ferns from 1927ish seem to be in green, and later Ferns are common in the burgundy colour.
I know the Loar in the blue case, and that's it's original case for sure. Only one I have seen.
All in all, I like the green, I guess, but, the burgundy is nice too.

It's been decades since I've seen a Loar owner out in public with it's original case. Most have upgraded to heavy duty cases when taking them out as original Loar cases over the years do tend to age badly. I do keep my Loar in it's original case to maintain that vintage funk smell.

Ken;
Maybe I was misunderstanding your comment in the "Loar Picture of the Day" thread of years ago... you stated: "That last Loar came in a red line case. They did not make those when Loar was in the factory." March 28, 2006.
On the basis of that comment I thought that you were indeed saying just that.... I must have misunderstood your statement, and if so, I'm sorry.
JohnD

A "Red Line" case is different than a "Red lined" case. The Geib "Red Line" cases were produced in the mid-1930's and had a thin red line painted on the exterior lip of the case.

Steve
Attachment 84634

Don't know if this helps you fellows that keep up with it or not. Kinda agree with Darryl, ratty cases go first, hard to tell what the original case was in a lot of instances.
72054 green lined case
76551 green lined case
79834 magenta
81489 green lined case
83660 red lined case
EA5192 Loar type magenta
89732, 93886, 97290 all in "RED LINE", CASES.
68281 F4 came in a Loar style case.

I know the mandolin you are referring to, and, yes, I meant a "red line" case, not a case with red lining. Sorry for any confusion, sometimes I may take these things for granted.
Ken

Ken.... you have to make allowances for bozo's like me that are somewhere in the dark ages with regards to Loar knowledge... I have owned two, but that doesn't say anything about my gray cells or what is in them...

Thanks for the clarity on my misunderstanding, and being good about it...

Thanks as well, to the others here that have tried to illuminate the case issues that puzzled me... next up... tailpieces....