Dolly Parton Love's me..... I know she does!!!

[Captain Birdseye]

Dear Mandolin lovers across the universe,

I'm Captain Birdseye and I live in London UK. I'm 39 years old and i've been a Bluegrass boy all my life from when my Daddy played me Flatt and Scruggs when I was rockin' in the cradle. :mandosmiley: I've followed it with all my heart every day I've been alive. I've met the greats including Mr. Bill in the Station Inn, picked and sang with some of them over the years and I've been places I could never have dreamed of following the love of my life. Bluegrass Music.

I have a mandolin. It ain't worth much on it's own. Just an 'A' shaped harmony mandolin with nothing looming through the 'F' hole but the sweet smell of wood. It was my first ever Mandolin since gazing up in a shop when I was 15 years of age....(damn..... am I that old already)?????? Anyway............ Dolly Signed it over here on a tour a good few years back and I have the photo, (see attached). Dolly said of the mandolin.........''my....... it's mighty pretty''............I said...... ''Mrs. Parton, you're not so bad yourself!''........ I swear we had a moment of chemistry there........ !....and then the security guards dragged me away! Sooooo, then I dropped into a UK London gig a few years later to see 'The Mountain Tour' with Steve Earle and the Del McCoury band. I had a chat with Robbie, the mandolin Superstar that he is, (my inspiration and my hero), and he signed it back stage and got the whole band to sign it too, including Mr. Steve Earle.
Has anyone out there in the big wide world of Mandolins got any clue as to how much this may be worth. I'm flat, broke and busted! I don't want to sell it but I gotta keep the hounds form the door! I'd really appreciate any advise. Have a fantastic weekend world. ;)..... Captain Birdseye.

[JeffD]

I would never judge the situation another finds himself in, but other than dire necessity I would never part with such a mandolin.

My guess is that its not going to be worth a whole lot, really. The momentary small difference it may make in your situation would, in my case, be eaten up by a life time of regret.

I hope things turn around for you. In just one post you evidenced a talent for getting for getting into and easily talking with the stars, perhaps that talent can be put to some advantage in some way.

Good luck, and I hope you don't have to sell that mandolin.

[Willie Poole]

You would have probably been better off just getting those autographs on some paper...Then they might be worth something down the road....I don`t think having them on a mandolin will make its value go up...Keep it as a future hand-me-down to your grand children.....The they will ask, "Dolly , Robbie who?"

Willie

[Tom C]

2 bits

[Kevin K]

autographs on an instrument doesn't increase it's value

[journeybear]

For it to be worth something beyond its typical resale value, it would have to be owned , not autographed, by someone famous. So I suggest you work on that. ;)

While you are contending with that emotional setback, here is another. Dolly Parton very likely does not love you. :disbelief: She was surely being kind, and generous, and personable, as that seems to be her nature, by most accounts. But I wouldn't expect more than that. Also, consider that most accomplished writers take pride in the correct use of language, including such aspects thereof as spelling and punctuation. So the estimable Ms Parton would probably be less than impressed by someone who misuses apostophes.

Just sayin' ... :whistling:


But that said, welcome to the Café!

[JeffD]

While you are contending with that emotional setback, here is another. Dolly Parton very likely does not love you. :disbelief: She was surely being kind, and generous, and personable, as that seems to be her nature, by most accounts.

No. She does love him. She does.

[journeybear]

She may well be. Who am I to say? She certainly is smiling very broadly in that photo. :grin:

[JeffD]

Certain signatures on an instrument are really really cool. I don't care to collect a whole bunch, but a few, or that special one or two - yea.

A friend of mine plays mountain dulcimer, and had her dulcimer signed by Jean Ritchie. Now how cool is that.

[Mandolin Mick]

Bear-

You're bursting this guy's balloon ... ;)

[journeybear]

Just a bit of friendly tweaking. But that wasn't his main reason for ringing in. ;)

Besides, Dolly Parton loves ALL of us, each and every one. :)

[mrmando]

autographs on an instrument doesn't increase it's value
Hm. Lloyd Loar, Steve Carlson, Charlie Derrington ...

[barney 59]

It's a Harmony, the autographs probably do increase the value. The signers are all alive and it's easy to get those autographs. I don't think it's worth much.

[MikeEdgerton]

It's a Harmony, the autographs probably do increase the value. The signers are all alive and it's easy to get those autographs. I don't think it's worth much.

They still won't increase the value.

To the OP. Post some pictures of the mandolin, don't worry about the signatures. We can give you an idea of the value, but Barney pretty much said it all. It isn't worth much no matter what model it is.

[MikeEdgerton]

Hm. Lloyd Loar, Steve Carlson, Charlie Derrington ...

I wonder what a Harmony that had LLoyd Loar's autograph on the outside would be worth? Heck, I'd buy that for the bragging rights.

[barney 59]

I was just thinking how gracious Dolly really is. Even though she had to have his butt hauled off by security she still signed the mandolin! Now that is class!

[Ron McMillan]

My Troll alert is ringing.

And anyway, it's Ronnie, not Robbie.

ron

[Bertram Henze]

I signed my own OM case, but I doubt the resale value was much affected despite the unquestionable authenticity, since I forgot to take a picture. :whistling::whistling:

[journeybear]

But you were smart enough to have the foresight to collect that autograph before you became famous. The collector value of that will be extraordinary!

Someday ...