$1 garage sale mandolin -anybody heard of herrera"

[Steve7]

So the people next door were having a garage sale and I got this mandolin for just one dollar. I took it home cleaned it up and put strings on it. Now I'm trying to get some info on it. It's old and as far as I can tell in my limited mandolin knowledge, it seems very well made and sounds pretty sweet. Part of the label on the sound hole is missing, this is what I can make out. "H--" and under that "Hecho E----co". This is what the label in the sound hole says:

"Silviano Herrera"
"Fabricante De Guitarras De La Prestigiada
Marca
Herras
curiosidadas de madera
20 De Novembre no.54
paracho, Mich. Mexico"

So what I gather from that is that is was made in Mexico by a guy named Silviano Herrera on November 20th, 1954.

Has anybody heard oh Herrera mandolins?

I have pictures of it here -
Mandolin Pics (http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s162/Zethos7/?action=view&current=100_0157.jpg)

[JEStanek]

Sweet looking and if you like the sound you got the bargain of the year!

Jamie

[8ch(pl)]

I will offer you $2 for it and pay postage to send it to me. You ddouble your money!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Broyles]

It probably used to say Hecho En Mexico, which means Made in Mexico.

[fwoompf]

It probably used to say Hecho En Mexico, which means Made in Mexico.
Heh...does anyone else reach Achewood?

[Sitka]

I could triple or quadruple your money... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Celtic Saguaro]

[QUOTE]curiosidades de madera

It means roughly "wooden souvenirs"

What the heck. If it's a nice looking wall-hanger, it's worth a buck.

[Walter Newton]

"Mich" stands for Michoacan, which is a state in Mexico...the town of Paracho is known for being full of guitar builders and shops.

[Yeti]

I'd like to see it. Post a picture of it.

[Jon Hall]

I have a Villafan guitar that was made in Paracho. It is make of classical guitar that Don Williams and the Pozo Seco folk group played during the 1960's. One of my band mates has a nice 12 string made in Paracho. If the mandoin is playable or can be made playable for a reasonable amount you might have yourself a real find.

[JEStanek]

Here's one of the photos from the link he posted above... http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s162/Zethos7/100_0157.jpg
Jamie

[Jim MacDaniel]

My Spanish is weak, but I believe "Fabricante De Guitarras De La Prestigiada" might equate roughly to "Builder of prestigious guitars", and "marca" I believe means "wood".

[fwoompf]

That's a heckuva steal! I'm going to troll garage sales when it gets warmer.

[Jim Broyles]

Google's translator renders it: “Silviano Herrera” “Manufacturer of Guitars Of the Sanctioned Herras Mark wooden curiosities.

Marca means 'it marks,' as a verb or 'mark' as a noun. Wood is madera.

[Alex of the North]

I'm pretty sure that 'marca' in this context means brand, like 'marque' in French. So it would be 'Maker of the Prestigious Herras Brand Guitars."

[8ch(pl)]

OK, $5 plus postage.

[Jon Hall]

That's one good lookin mandolin. Given it's Paracho origin you can assume it's handmade. A novice luthier couldn't make those graceful, symmetrical curves.

[Jon Hall]

Paracho was the opening scene of the movie "once Upon A Time In Mexico" (I think that's the title) with Antonio Banderas. A Paracho guitar has a featured role in the film.

[brunello97]

Kalamazoo, Mich. Paracho, Mich.

Anyone else delighted by the apparent synchronicity?

Did Jung play the mandolin?

Mick

[Sitka]

$5.25 + postage...

[Yeti]

What a deal. I am happy if I can find a Coke for a buck. But wow a mandolin for a buck. NICE.

[8ch(pl)]

$5.50 Plus Postage, and insurance.

[Sitka]

$5.75 + postage, insurance, and a full tank of gas.

[Steve7]

Ha, thanks for the offers but I'll have to pass. While a 500% return is pretty good, I think the mandolin could be worth more then that.

I would like to find out the actual value of the mandolin. Can anyone recommend a way to have it appraised? Are there any online services that do that?

[Jkf_Alone]

to be honest i dont think its worth much more than any playable mandolin. 1954 isnt especially old, I cant imagine it being worth any more than an old harmony or stradolin. probably a bit less because the name isnt as known. but if it sounds good and plays well, then its worth at least 60 bucks i imagine. check out elderlys, they always have a few oddball mandolins hanging around their site.

[Jkf_Alone]

to be honest i dont think its worth much more than any playable mandolin. 1954 isnt especially old, I cant imagine it being worth any more than an old harmony or stradolin. probably a bit less because the name isnt as known. but if it sounds good and plays well, then its worth at least 60 bucks i imagine. check out elderlys, they always have a few oddball mandolins hanging around their site.

[Martin Jonas]

$50 to $60 sounds about right. This may well be a fun instrument to play, but a no-name Mexican flattop won't be worth any real money.

Enjoy it for what it is, and know you got a great deal for your dollar.

Martin

[mrmando]

It's not a no-name, it's a Herrera!

[8ch(pl)]

It is a better instrument than a lot of the all laminated wood, sunken top mandolins that you usually find in yard sales and flea markets.