A unique Gibson Ajr

[Goodin]

Here is a unique Gibson Ajr with a Gibson logo and flower pot inlay. The owner says it is from 1921 but the serial number is not legible. Has anyone seen an Ajr with this headstock treatment? I am certain that the logo, flowerpot, and neck are original to the mandolin.

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[F-2 Dave]

Nope. Never seen a flowerpot A jr before. But then, there are lots of things I've never seen before. I like it.

[mrmando]

None of that inlay looks like factory work to me. Headstock would have been plain black originally.

This should have a FON stamped inside, which could help establish the year of manufacture.

[houseworker]

As Martin says, that inlay work definitely isn't factory. Far too many things wrong, but for a starter they've missed off the dot above the i.

[houseworker]

I'm not convinced that the fretboard is original either.

[houseworker]

It's also difficult to be certain that the headstock is original. Obviously the tuners are replacements, but the shape appears poorly defined compared to known examples. And why does it taper in at the top - on both sides?

[MikeEdgerton]

...for a starter they've missed off the dot above the i.

There are a whole lot of suspect Gibson instruments that came out of the factory in Kalamazoo then. There was a time that Gibson missed that same dot for years. It wasn't part of their headstock logo. That's not an indicator you can rely on.

[Goodin]

Here are some more pics of the back of the headstock and neck, which will show why I thought it was all original. If it was a replacement neck, or headstock veneer, or inlays, it was done shortly after the mandolin was made. The wear conforms with rest of the instrument. Yes tuners obviously replaced.

I've got my '24 F-4 out...the flowerpot does look a bit sloppy on the ajr, but The Gibson logo looks very close, the only difference is the in the "T". Could be non-Gibson inlays...but done long ago.

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[MikeEdgerton]

From what I can see the tuners have been changed and some inlay may have been added. The tuners recently, the inlay possibly a long time ago. It's a player, play it and enjoy it. Keep in mind every single Stradivarius violin in the world has been modified in some way. If a mandolin is played parts will be replaced or repaired. People have been hotrodding cars and musical instruments since before cars were invented. This is not the rare holy grail missing link mandolin that proves or disproves anything, it's just a nice old Gibson AJr, a mandolin sought by many as an inexpensive way to get that Gibson sound.

[Ken Waltham]

I don't believe that any of the inlay is original. It's way off the norm, and is done by an exuberant amateur.

[mandroid]

My A now has side dots in the fingerboard because I paid someone to put then there,
but the paddle-head , face.. is still painted Black.
just 1 bump up from A-jr, it has top edge binding and 1 ring around the bound soundhole

[T.D.Nydn]

The flower pot is off center from the base,I don't think Gibson would be that careless..

[T.D.Nydn]

I think the "messiah" is an untouched stradivarius......

[houseworker]

I think the "messiah" is an untouched stradivarius......

Not so. The neck was modified by its then owner, the Parisian luthier and dealer Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, to bring it up to contemporary standards in the 19th Century.

[T.D.Nydn]

Ok,I guess it's unplayed not untouched...but the flower pot is still off center......

[MikeEdgerton]

The flower pot is off center from the base,I don't think Gibson would be that careless..

The inlay isn't original and probably wasn't done by Gibson but you should take a trip through the mandolin archive and look at the inlay on the flowerpots. Some are just awful. The actual workmanship on binding and scrolls on those early Gibson's wasn't always spectacular. Some was pretty shoddy. I think the bigger problem with the flower pot on this is that it's way out of scale compared to most everything I've ever seen. The logo is pretty close for some of the later years. The inlay material used on the flower pot and logo doesn't even remotely match up.

[Charles E.]

And why in the world would any one think that Gibson would put a flower pot and the Gibson inlay on a Ajr?! Duh.

[mtucker]

I think the bigger problem with the flower pot on this is that it's way out of scale compared to most everything I've ever seen.
you noticed that too? ....:grin:

[Darryl Wolfe]

Originality ends right after the $3.50 for the Coors light and the "Chucks" under the table

[Goodin]

Originality ends right after the $3.50 for the Coors light and the "Chucks" under the table


Haha! I'm pretty sure the chucks are original too;). This was at our local Irish session. A friend brought this Ajr, and I reckon I got excited and jumped onto posting on the Cafe before checking the authenticity of the inlays. They looked original to me but I must have had my beer goggles on. The owner bought it 20 years ago and paid $700 for it. Great sounding and playing little mandolin!