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Thread: Ditson Victory

  1. #1
    Registered User mandopaul's Avatar
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    Default Ditson Victory

    Wanted to ask if any boal back knowledgeable pickers would know how much one of these could bring on the market.

    It is a Ditson with looks like bz. rosewood piece on the bottom and around the sides. Back are strips dark wood, big boal. Pick guard has inlay, bent top with colored wood bindings. Back of headstock is a silver plate with "Victory" and flowers inlay into the plate. No cracks / very good condition.

    I am helping a friend, who wants to sell it, get a fair price.

    Thanks
    Last edited by mandopaul; May-02-2009 at 12:12am. Reason: add some more facts

  2. #2
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ditson Victory

    Mandopaul, the Ditson Company served as distributors of a range of instruments built by other manufacturers, including some of the most prestigious names: Martin, Vega, L+H, Larson. From what I have seen, they selected quality work and Ditson labeled mandolins are typically quite nice. Does your friend's 'Victory' resemble the one pictured below? Do you have pictures of it you might post? There was also a an 'Empire' model and a 'Conquest' model with the 'Victory' the high end of the three (the names of the series perhaps coined in the wake of the US victory in the war with Spain.) Unfortunately, American bowlback mandolins don't fetch the kind of prices commanded for vintage archtops. Here is a recent sale on the ebay of an Empire model Ditson (the low end of the troika referenced above):

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120409964934

    that sold for a shocking (though not atypically) low $103. You might expect a Victory to claim 3-4 times that (possibly more) should it be in very good cosmetic and playable condition. Even better, if its progeny can be traced to CF Martin. (The last image I have posted is a Martin-made 'Empire'.) Hopefully others will offer some more input and if you have photos to post that would be helpful (and enjoyable to see.) Good luck!

    Mick
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