c.1900 L&H-made Elias Howe bowlback mandolin

[Jake Wildwood]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CRhE7fkwwYs/TmmsI39Z9dI/AAAAAAAAOZY/MSbltfN238E/s1600/howe1.jpg

Here's a sweetie I just finished up last night -- great player, great tone, and excellent sustain. I was nicely surprised by this one as my experience with these L&H mandos of the below-Washburn level is that the tone varies quite a bit piece to piece, sometimes with a sound I like, sometimes with a sound someone else likes. This one is up my alley, though.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vu3HufBZ0yA/TmmsJFnHVrI/AAAAAAAAOZg/wkATagehqMU/s1600/howe2.jpg

More photos/writeup/etc. over at my blog (click here). (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2011/09/c1900-elias-howe-bowlback-mandolin.html)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GyW1jMjegQ/TmmrwK6-3RI/AAAAAAAAOYo/E1i3CvptRJ8/s1600/howe12.jpg

[hrlarson]

Beauty!

[Tavy]

Nice, interesting to see what Howe was up to to before (?) he hooked up with Orme.

[Jim Garber]

I believe that Howe was essentially a music publisher and retailer. I think he had this made for the store. Definite connection between Ditson/L&H and Boston makers/stores.