Paramount Mandolin Harp Information

[shunkpenn]

I'm posting another item recently purchased from the same estate. I've been doing a little research and have been unable to find another Paramount Mandolin Harp. The instrument is all wood construction and it definitely has had some playing time. I have found online a few instruments that are similar but that's about it. It appears to be a early model that must have been produced in low numbers and probably rare??? Pics are not the best but it all looks original. It is also marked "patent pending" with serial number 369. In any event it is pretty interesting. Looking forward to some feedback. Thanks.

[Londy]

Cool looking. How does it sound?
Sorry I can't offer any historical data but someone will for sure.

[shunkpenn]

I think it sounds pretty good...however I'm a guitar player. Now I have all these mandolins so maybe I need to learn another instrument. I was looking through there 1920's catalogue online and couldn't find it. It definitley has a low serial number.

[Jim Garber]

This is the mandolin version of the Paramount Tenor harp, essentially a banjo instrument with a wooden top. There are some pic at frets.com (http://frets.com/FretsPages/Museum/Banjo/Parmount/TenorHarp/tenorharp.html)

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[Dolamon]

Have you explored http://www.mugwumps.com/ ? Michael Holmes has been expanding this site for almost twenty years and if it isn't on the site now, he may at least be able to help you date it.

Neat looking instrument.

[Jim Garber]

There is info on frets.com link I posted above.

Like the Gibson Tenor Lute, this instrument is basically a tenor banjo neck mounted on a wooden body. It was made in the 1920s, and it appeared in the Paramount Banjo catalog of that period.

William Lange's Paramount Banjo Company made a large number of professional quality instruments, and had a galaxy of celebrity endorsers. Lange advertized that his company was the only banjo company that made all their own components - even the geared tuners.

This "banjo" is exceptional in that it's entirely wooden. The "head" or top is solid spruce and has a low but distinct arched configuration, which helps support the downward pressure of the bridge. The resonator back is solid maple and rims are laminated maple. It has a maple neck with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. All the purfling and binding simple and tasteful, also of Brazilian rosewood.

Some things to look for: Check out the rather crude "handstop" behind the nut. It's far less delicate than Paramount's other instruments. It has a standard mandolin tailpiece (original). "Patent Pending" is stamped twice near the tailpiece as is the very low serial number. (I doubt there are any high serial numbers on tenor harps!) Don't miss that unique bridge.
Also cool bridge on the tenor harp.
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I can't tell what the bridge on the mandolin look like. BTW my favorite violins were built by Rettburg and Lange. I just a acquired a third one of these.