MJBMando234
Feb-15-2012, 12:08pm
Can anyone tell me anything about this mandolin? I inherited from my mother who purchased it ca. 1940. I think the label on the headstock is Denny. Any information much appreciated. Thanks.
allenhopkins
Feb-15-2012, 2:10pm
Guessing: looks American, perhaps a Chicago product, early 20th century. Some similarity to this unlabeled "Supertone," (http://www.elderly.com/items/90U-3886.htm) which Elderly Instruments speculated was made by Harmony. The "cloud" tailpiece is very characteristic of mid-price American instruments from that period.
The Mugwumps index of American musical instrument manufacturers, which is quite comprehensive, has no entry for "Denny" or "Dennis." Large American manufacturers made thousands of instruments that were labeled with the names of individual music stores, dealers or distributors, and sold through catalogs or at specific stores.
I'm sure other Cafe experts can "drill down" to a more exact ID.