Having a heck of a time IDing this early Gibson Mandolin

[Salvatorparadise]

Hi folks, I am an auctioneer and was happy to receive this mandolin on consignment this evening. The owner's late father was an avid bluegrass musician for many years.

Anyway, I thought I had a decent grasp on Gibson mandolins but this one really has me wondering. As you can see it has the "Gibson" headstock, with F-holes on the top. Sunburst top and bottom.

Strangely, in the f-hole it has a label with the serial number "26853," and way, way up inside it has a large 19-teens style label with the same number. This label is exactly where it would be if the instrument had the round hole instead of F holes. Both ID it as an A. The small label beneath the fhole has it as an "a" and the large label beneath where the round hole should be has an "A-" Neither has anything after it to distinguish it further.

Tail piece says "The Gibson." I'd guess A50 or A40 or even A1, but the early serial number has me wondering. Really messy! Can you help me ID model and date?

Condition is very good throughout. With its case.

[Salvatorparadise]

It also has that binding that cuts horizontally to the neck, like the early A1s. I guess it could be a period A1 with a later top, neck and headstock?

[Jim Garber]

That is pretty strange. Obviously the tailpiece doesn't belong (I think). And the tuners look non-original. It could be an older teens mandolin that was "refurbished" at the factory, perhaps with a new top in the 1930s or 1940s. Very odd. I look fwd to what others will see here.

[Salvatorparadise]

Thanks Jim, me too! Seems well constructed, professional. Well taken care of. Seller is hopeful for good money but some kind of refurb might be a bit tough to sell for more than $500 - $800 range at auction, tops. Still, I am curious as to how to describe this one!

[sunburst]

Looks like a "bucket of bolts" to me too. Tuner plates look like 30s or 40s, but the buttons look like replacements, probably because the originals shank and crumbled. The big silkscreen logo, I'm not too sure of the time frame, but it's well after an "A" with that serial number would have, tailpiece cover looks like teens, pick guard and bridge look like 40s, can't see the sides...
My guess is someone (maybe Gibson, maybe other) put an F-hole top and newer neck on an old A and finished the whole thing in lacquer, or some other story similar to that. With the "A" label in the back in the "normal" place, that makes more sense than a custom order or anything else that might have come from Gibson like it is now, the age is too spread out (teens to 40s, perhaps) for that to be likely.

[F-2 Dave]

I'd like to hear how it sounds. No truss rod, pineapple tailpiece, adjustable bridge. I've seen several 'parts' banjos. Not many 'parts' mandolins.

[Salvatorparadise]

thanks everyone. and john, your instruments are really beautiful!

[mrmando]

Agree with John. That looks like a '30s logo and the instrument was probably retopped/refinished sometime in the '30s. The hardware is newer than the mandolin, except for the tailpiece cover, which is older than the mandolin. It might go as high as $500 to someone who wanted to play it. It has no collector value except for someone looking for a pineapple tailpiece cover.

[f5loar]

The bridge is not Gibson. The case is a mid60's Gibson A case worth at least $150 on it's own. The TP is vintage worth likely $150 too. I'd say it was a factory redo in the late 30's to early 40's. Since it is such a mess it has no collector value. $500 maybe.

[Paul Hostetter]

It has the dreaded "hi-friction/low function" 20:1 tuners we all saw briefly on the last Harmony mandolins out of Chicago. They are a real liability.

[MikeEdgerton]

I thought they were 23 or 24 to 1. Either way they were pretty awful.

I have a set brand new in the box.

[Paul Hostetter]

Mike, you may be right. Clearly a case more "more is not better!"

We have an appointment with a turkey here shortly.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm trying to hold off going and getting the box and counting the turns. Enjoy the appointment. :cool:

[Joe Spann]

I can provide some specific information about this mandolin (serial #26853).

According to the Gibson shipping ledgers it started life as a regular Style A, shipped in 1914. It was returned to the factory for repairs in 1947 by someone named R.E. Lloyd. At that time it was inside a "canvas case." The repairs were completed (and obviously they were extensive) and then mandolin was shipped back to Mr. Lloyd on 16 May 1947. The result is an instrument which strays considerably from it's original appearance simply because of the three and a half decades between it's construction and the repairs. Typical Gibson.

Joe

[MikeEdgerton]

The tuners were manufactured in the 60's so the work went on by someone. :)

Tom ID'd the case as a mid 60's Gibson case, I wonder if it went back again? That's wild that you have these records Joe.

[MandoSquirrel]

Yep, neato!