Here's an odd one for the early Gibson crowd..

[mandotool]

GIBSON MANDOLIN-GUITAR CO. EARLY AND RARE ENAMEL ON BRASS PIN.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-MANDO...item20dc4e9988


you get a Gibson Style O guitar and a Model F Gibson mandolin...
Pretty Dang Cool..
Anybody ever seen one of these?

[Steve Roberts]

Very cool- but $495??

[jaycat]

What does "GMG" stand for? And what is that thing that looks like an "O" after the second G?

[MikeEdgerton]

What does "GMG" stand for? And what is that thing that looks like an "O" after the second G?

That's not an O it's a C. It stands for Gibson Mandolin Guitar Company.

[jaycat]

Looks like it fell out of a box of Cheerios.

[MikeEdgerton]

Some history of the company that made it can be found here.

[pfox14]

Too easy to fake a pin like this and the price makes me very suspicious. I've never heard of Gibson using the initials GMGC and the correct name of the company prior to 1924 is The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co. - so GMGMC. I would think that if Gibson had a company make a pin like this it would have the script logo somewhere on it. Stay away IMO.

[jesserules]

Too easy to fake a pin like this

Stay away IMO.

Estimated cost of producing a phony enameled brass advertising pin featuring obsolete mandolin & guitar styles (including time spent researching said obsolete mandolins and guitars and companies that produced advertising pins for such items in the correct period)?

Estimated possible number of consumers for said item?

[goaty76]

I don't think it is made by the Gibson company. The reason being is that Gibson was very proud of their instruments and I don't think they would issue anything displaying them so crudely. It was probably from a regional mandolin club.

Phil

Phil

[Bernie Daniel]

I don't think it is made by the Gibson company. The reason being is that Gibson was very proud of their instruments and I don't think they would issue anything displaying them so crudely. It was probably from a regional mandolin club.
Phil

I agree -- local. Perhaps the "O" stands for orchestra -- as is Middletown Guitar and Mandolin Orchestra etc. Doubt it is fake --potential buying audience is probably about 20 people or less?

[Timbofood]

Interesting that the enamel fell out of the "O" or possibly a gemstone removed (more likely to me)?
The geometry is odd too. I think the orchestra idea is much more likely.
Something is definitely un gibby about this. Perhaps an early "look what's in the box" from Kellogg's, they are just down the road after all.
So, jaycat did you ID that mandolin? I am still wondering.

[MikeEdgerton]

I agree -- local. Perhaps the "O" stands for orchestra -- as is Middletown Guitar and Mandolin Orchestra etc. Doubt it is fake --potential buying audience is probably about 20 people or less?

Bernie, it's not an O it's a C. I think you'll find that thing you think is an O is actually the attachment for the pin clasp.

[MikeEdgerton]

Too easy to fake a pin like this and the price makes me very suspicious. I've never heard of Gibson using the initials GMGC and the correct name of the company prior to 1924 is The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co. - so GMGMC. I would think that if Gibson had a company make a pin like this it would have the script logo somewhere on it. Stay away IMO.

First off, a one off of a pin like this wouldn't be easy. It was probably a one time order for some sort of gathering or award. As far as the name goes check this label.

[Timbofood]

The pinback idea crossed my mind to Mike but, I don't thing the point would line up as it appears. More often too they were attached by solder not riveting like that. Were it riveted, they would have done that prior to enameling and ground the head more smoothly from what I have seen.
And I agree the cost for a "one off" would be prohibitive unless cast in precious metal which this clearly is not.

[MikeEdgerton]

I still think it's the attachment for the pin. The pin is probably a little bent. I may just buy it to find out.

[jaycat]

. . . So, jaycat did you ID that mandolin? I am still wondering.

I don't remember now which mandolin we were talking about?

[Bernie Daniel]

Bernie, it's not an O it's a C. I think you'll find that thing you think is an O is actually the attachment for the pin clasp.

Makes sense to me.

[Bernie Daniel]

First off, a one off of a pin like this wouldn't be easy. It was probably a one time order for some sort of gathering or award. As far as the name goes check this label.

Good point on the company name.

One thing in looking at that label you posted -- and this is totally OT - but I happened to come across a an example of Lloyd Loar's signature a couple of days ago and it looked quite different from the ones in your image? I'll find it an post them together.
The image you show from an F-5 is "typical" for LL -- the one I saw, not so much. I think it might have been something on David Harvey's facebook page? I'll find it and start a new thread.

[jesserules]

The vertical pin you would use to stick this thing on your lapel is clearly visible at the bottom of the picture. No additional attachment gizmos needed. So, the thing that looks like an "O" is probably an "O", & very likely used to have a rhinestone or such in it.

[Timbofood]

The pin stem does not align with the point where Mike thinks the pin back is connected to the body of the pin, Jesse I agree.
The "O" is, I think, may have been a seat for some gem, see post 11.
Playing in the jewelry pond for as long as I have and being lucky enough to see quite a few vintage pins from that era is what I am basing my observations on, not being any final authority by any means.

Jaycat, mandolin in the band from"To Have and Have Not"

[MikeEdgerton]

If it was an O it would have blue in the middle, no? Why would the O be different than the C or the G? A gem stone? Possibly. I've asked the owner for a picture of the back of the button. That shoould tell us something.

[jesserules]

The enamel could have flaked off in that particular area, it happens, or - once again - it could have held a stone. If you were going to include a rhinestone in such a pin, which seems the most sensible place to put it: in the G, in the M, in the C, or in the O?

[MikeEdgerton]

OK, it's an O. What does the O stand for? We already can hazard a pretty good guess as to what the other letters stand for. The enamel flaked off one spot and no place else. I don't buy that. I could see having a stone of some sort there. Lots of people used different colored stones to denote different levels of achievement. I can almost buy that but I don't think it's an O. This was probably something ordered one time for some sort of function, national sales meeting, who knows. The stone idea might fit. The O doesn't. The outside of the O doesn't look like the outside of any of the other letters. Blow it up a little bit. I don't think it's an O. If we can get a picture of the back we might now more, might not.

[Timbofood]

I am with you Mike, it is certainly NOT an "O" it's the leftover of a gem seat. Prongs have likely been ground down to a smooth surface
The enamel is too good EVERYWHERE else. A back shot would tell a lot, agreed! I look at "emblem" jewelry a lot, never seen anything quite like this but, I agree again, it was probably an achievement award from some group who was maybe supported/ close to the company.
Hard to accept that it was endorsed by Gibson, too crude.
Interesting though.

[pfox14]

Estimated cost of producing a phony enameled brass advertising pin featuring obsolete mandolin & guitar styles (including time spent researching said obsolete mandolins and guitars and companies that produced advertising pins for such items in the correct period)?

Estimated possible number of consumers for said item?

Ummmm, let's see...find a Chinese enamel pin maker and pay then $10 to make it and sell it for $500. Workmanship is very crude to say the least. Even an inexpensive one like this has more detail and better workmanship.