What's this one

[Darryl Wolfe]

Hello, I just got this one in. #There are no markings, it has brazilian sides and back with no center stripe, engraved tailpiece, abalone in pickguard.

The scale length is about 13" or maybe a shade less. #The depth is quite shallow, less than a Martin. It is very dainty and small looking

[Darryl Wolfe]

a little closer look. The fingerboard is missing most of the binding. That remaining though is black with a cool little white capped line around the top edge

[Darryl Wolfe]

Back

[Darryl Wolfe]

last

[Jim Garber]

Offhand I would say Regal. Headstock resembles Regals. Why do you say "piccolo"? The scale is std short/violin-scale. Piccolo is more like 11"-10.5"

Jim

[trebleclef528]

Could indeed be "Regal" but I think it is almost identical to a REX (Gretsch) Circa 1910 - 1920
here (http://www.billsbanjos.com/Rex.htm)is a link to a picture of a 1915 rex and you can see the similarities especially the sratch plate and the inlay.
regards,
ian

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks Treble, that is identical except for the backstripe. Thanks for the info, JGARBER, I obviously had no idea what scale Piccolo mandolins were.

So it appears that its a Rex, by Gretsch, with some possibilities or implication that Larson actually made it.

[Jim Garber]

Here is a page from the 1930 Tomk Brothers catalog with a very similar (except for the headstock) model 5800 (at right) under the Sterling brand. On the left is a plainer #5700 with a similar headstock to yours, Darryl, and to the Rex. Those Regal-made reverse scroll flattops were also branded at time with that brand (and pictured on that Sterling spread).

It is quite possible that Regal made the Rex as well.

Jim

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks Jim. It's quite interesting how many labels and nametags can be attached to these things. I'm leaning towards Regal now.

I bid on this Regal when it was on auction site. It too has distinct similarities. Note fingerboard shape and fairly large oval sound hole

link-go to mandolins and regal 2-pt (http://www.guitarandbanjo.com/)

[Davetnova]

This is a Rex, there is one for sale on ebay.co.uk right now (with centre back stripe)

[Eugene]

Dave, such solid attributions of who built what regarding such things from that era can be pretty shaky. #I have seen almost identical mandolins labeled "American Conservatory" too. #The Rex Professional brand was distributed by the company to become Gretsch, but were built by early incarnations of the Kay shop who, as Jim alludes, also probably had some nebulous ties to the ubiquitous Regal shop. #there was a lot of instrumental "cross pollination" in Chicago around that time.

[Jim Garber]

I bid on this Regal when it was on auction site. It too has distinct similarities. Note fingerboard shape and fairly large oval sound hole
You mean this one (http://www.guitarandbanjo.com/details/3642.html)?

It is labelled #5118 on that very same page in the Tonk Bros. catalog. Here is the image.

Jim

[bluesmandolinman]

Cool mandolin !

And as allways Jim has the right catalog photo on hand http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandolooter]

I know what it is...it's cool!

Merry Xmas to you and yours Darryl!
Jeff http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Darryl Wolfe]

Yes, I really wanted that 5118 and bid a smart amount on it. #It appears that the seller may have struck a "Buy it Now" deal with Intermountain/guitarandbanjo for more than my max bid which was somewhat under the reserve. Bidding never reached my max on it.

[PaulD]

So 5118 is coming to SLC? I'll have to sneak down to Intermountain and see it in the wild... I've been meaning to stop in there anyway; not that I have money to spend, but that doesn't keep a kid out of the candy store! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

pd

[danb]

My 10-string vega went there.. but 3376 came to London http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif