Lyon & Healy 'C' 1211

[bjhawn]

My mother-in-law (she is 82) has this Lyon & Healy 'C' 1211. It was her father's when she was a young girl. It seems to be in great shape and it has always been stored in the case. One string is missing. This is the only pic I have right now but can take additional if needed.
She is interested in finding out a ballpark figure of its value. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.

[mrmando]

Looks like a nice one. Unfortunately it's missing its tailpiece cover, which diminishes the value by $400 to $500, but on the other hand it's in this gorgeous rectangular case, which should add some value. That's only the second such L&H case I've seen; most original cases seem to be shaped ones. It's a later short-scale instrument; the neck joins the body at the 9th fret. The headstock is of the later "deco" type introduced around 1921.

Recent eBay sales:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Circa-1920-Washburn-Lyon-Healy-Style-C-Mandolin-Extremely-Rare-/261189647301?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd01dbbc5&nma=true&si=vNSsONrViqVp2qrQBjUNtAsGGS8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

No case, pickguard missing, original bridge damaged and replacement installed. Does have the tailpiece cover. It's a bit of a surprise that this sold for $1,999; I think that's a little high. It had been purchased at an estate auction for $750 and flipped on eBay for a nice profit. Neck/body joint is nearer the 10th fret and it has a stairstep headstock, so it's most likely earlier than 1920 and a long-scale instrument.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Washburn-Lyon-Healy-style-C-Mandolin-orig-case-hang-tag-key-/281066416782?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4170dd2a8e&nma=true&si=vNSsONrViqVp2qrQBjUNtAsGGS8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Super clean, original shaped case in nice condition, pickguard and tailpiece cover present. Has the plain headstock and "Washburn" on the label, so it's later than yours, either 1923 or 1924. Short scale. I'm a little surprised, still, that this went as high as $3K, but it is in awfully nice condition.

There's another Style C in the upcoming Skinner auction on 4/28, also missing its tailpiece cover, so it would be interesting to see what that one fetches. Longer scale and stairstep headstock, so again the Skinner appraiser is incorrect in dating it to 1921; it's most likely a couple of years earlier. Does have the original case. Will probably meet the $1400 estimate, but could go a little higher:

http://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2648B/lots/1

Back to yours: it's a short scale from the most desirable period, but is minus a tailpiece cover. I'd say that's worth $1,750. But then it has this gorgeous and very unusual case, which is worth another $750, so I'd say $2,500. If you can acquire a spare tailpiece cover it'll add even more value.

But then, given what we've seen on eBay of late, maybe there is some increased demand for these, and my estimates could be low. It might fetch $3,000 as is.

All of the above assumes that there aren't any problems. More photos, including closeups, could help. I'd want to see the back, the sides, and the front and back of the headstock, particularly.

[Marty Jacobson]

Nice find! Those are not the most sought-after of the Lyon and Healy instruments, but I think they are stunning. I especially love the headstocks on these. And look at that awesome figured maple peeking out there on the side... nice.
It does appear that it has aged gracefully, but have a luthier check it out and make sure it's all solid. After a little TLC, with what looks like an excellent hardshell case, it probably is worth a few bucks (though not a fortune, by any means).

[bjhawn]

Appreciate your input!

[Jim Garber]

Very strange that that your grandfather-in-law or whoever bought that style C originally would spring for that upper end case. I have a circa 1920 catalog page. In that catalog the mandolin cost $97.50 and the rectangular case cost $52.50 (velvet-lined) or $62.50 (plush-lined). I believe that the case was really meant for a style A -- you can see the indents for the body points so that an asymmetrical style A would fit. A style A would have cost $150 at that time.

I didn't see this page in Hubert's book so I scanned it from my copy.

[bjhawn]

She has a photo of her dad & the 3 others in their quartet. . He was holding another style in the photo. Could have been an "A"

[mrmando]

Yeah, the only other time I've seen one of those cases, a Style A was in it:

101088

[Jim Garber]

There is one with the longer scale at Bernunzio's (http://bernunzio.com/product/lyon-and-healy-style-c-16928/). Price ($2500) is on the high side for a style C, IMHO.