This pickup of mandolin is very strange. Had never seen it before.
Attachment 155107
Also used on guitars
Attachment 155108
Printable View
This pickup of mandolin is very strange. Had never seen it before.
Attachment 155107
Also used on guitars
Attachment 155108
I suspected it was a Volu-Tone... and then I saw the Volu-Tone amp in the second pic! Check out this monstrosity on a lap steel:
Attachment 155136
They were sold as part of steels & guitars, and also on their own (sort of like a proto-DeArmond). The major drawback of these pickups was that their electromagnets had to be charged from the amplifier before use, and as I recall there were major electrical safety problems with the setup. I guess permanent mangets were still expensive enough in those days to make this a viable product, though not that many have survived.
Great sleuthing, nmiller! I had guessed an early steel guitar pickup.... but came up empty on a maker or model. Glad you solved the mystery. I enjoy learning about early amplification gear.