Star shaped (resonator?) mandolin

[Dusepo]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unknown-Ma...8AAOSw3YJZPKli

[MikeZito]

Looks cool - but I have to believe that it would be very uncomfortable to play . . . .

[G7MOF]

You don't see many 6 point mandolins, and it certainly wouldn't slip off your knee when playing sat down!

[Jim Garber]

Oh, man... I swear that the late Mike Holmes had a want ad on his site (mugwumps.com) for many years looking for one of these.

Text from ad:

Unknown Maker Star shaped Banjo mandolin mandobanjo banjolin Project 1920's

Here is a cool find! This was recently uncovered in the storeroom of an old guitar and accordion shop that closed in the early 1990's. Here is a very interesting Antique instrument project! It looks to be complete except for the banjo head. I cannot find any info on anything similar to this. A friend had suggested the maker could be Joseph Bohman. Lots of potential! Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional photos. I could not find a photo of another. Please feel free to ask any questions or request more specific photos as needed.Thanks for looking! .

THESE ARE GETTING VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN ANY CONDITION, SO DON'T MISS OUT!

Before the photos disappear:

[liestman]

That is the kind of mandolin that would make a really neat clock!

[Jeff Mando]

That is the kind of mandolin that would make a really neat clock!

Looks like something the artist formerly known as Prince might have liked.......

[Russ Donahue]

Looks like something the artist formerly known as Prince might have liked.......

Or Todd Rundgren...

[allenhopkins]

I like the seller's line "These are getting very difficult to find..." These? You mean there's more than one?

[Richard Singleton]

I had these in my Windows photo Gallery saved some time ago, perhaps from Cafe or ebay? Of course the star is positioned differently in relation to the neck and no resonator or mando/banjo.

[Jim Garber]

Oh, man... I swear that the late Mike Holmes had a want ad on his site (mugwumps.com) for many years looking for one of these.

I had these in my Windows photo Gallery saved some time ago, perhaps from Cafe or ebay? Of course the star is positioned differently in relation to the neck and no resonator or mando/banjo.

Yes, Richard. Those were the images from the mugwumps site, classified page. Mike Holmes (the owner) posted that ad looki g for one of those.

[Jim Garber]

Ah, there was a start shaped mandolin listed in the Bruno catalog circa 1890:



I also found a listing from Elderly in 2003 for one like the recent one on eBay only complete with head:

[Bertram Henze]

Looks cool - but I have to believe that it would be very uncomfortable to play . . . .

It could be done with the 3-o-clock or 5-o-clock point going between your legs - carefully!
The belt buckle marks on the back seem to indicate the previous owner chose the 5-o-clock solution.