Mike Osgar mandolin
Just received (via Ebay) this unique mandolin made in 1975 by Mike Osgar in Minneapolis. From what few scraps I can glean from the net and then from a couple of folks who know him (including guitar-maker Charlie Hoffman who was a friend and neighbor), Mike was born in 1898, learned his craft at Lyon & Healy in the 20s, later had his own small shop in Minneapolis for a number of years when he did custom work, repairs, and for a while in the 70s had rigged up a jig to make all of the banjo bridges for Gibson.
This mandolin is just exquisite. There are some details that are so fine it's hard to fathom--the abalone inlay on the fingerboard and headstock glows from within; the arching of the top and back is amazing, the carving of the point are sweet as can be--and some details, like the hand-cut purfling and the soundhole rosette, that are just a little rough, like he was making choices about when to be folksy and when to be absolutely uncannily perfect. There is a certain amount more set-up and a few minor maintenance things left to do, but it is playing and sounding sweeter with every note.
Then the back and sides--I don't know what they are, but it looks and feels like some kind of fruitwood or unusual homegrown hardwood like butternut. Can anyone out there tell?
The mandolin speaks and sings of an artisan's life well and truly lived. Google says he passed away in 1996 at age 98. Wow.... Anyhow, there's nothing really to compare this to, except an early 20s Lyon Healy style A, which this so clearly is and just as clearly isn't.
Joseph
Joseph
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Originally Posted by Nevin
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