Re: Looking for info on this bowlback
I think it is a bit on the reckless side to even hint at this mandolin being a Larson product. I know I wind up being the 'doubting Thomas' viz the Larsons, but this example shows just about zero resemblance to anything of the Larsons in terms of style or detailing.
The "Mauer = Larson" shibboleth is one of the most misleading bits of information that gets propagated around here. Allen is being incredibly informative as well as all too careful / polite in my mind. This is not a Larson mandolin. We have seen so many mandolins being sold as Larson on Ebay and other locations based on hopeful speculation, misattribution and the flimsiest of supposed look-alike 'evidence' with astronomical (aka ridiculous) asking prices. The Larsons as "the only two employees" apparently built more instruments than there are splinters of the True Cross.
It is no skin off my back, but I think it helps undermine some of the incredibly positive flow of useful information that comes out the collective efforts of good folks at the MC. "How do you know it's not a Larson?" you can imagine the question. Proving a negative, right? It doesn't at all look like one, would be the simple answer.
Bob is right, this could well be a nice, modest mandolin which would sound lovely with proper strings. This era of building in Chicago produced an array of decent, well built, nice sounding mandolins at affordable prices using high quality material. Not everything needs to be a Larson to be a decent little mandolin. If this sold for $300 I think it would be time for a happy dance, and a good third of that price would be for the case.
I don't mean to be an Eeyore. The idea of this being a 'four figure mandolin' is hallucinatory. Even Bob Hartman has been backing off on some of his (excessive) claims of the Larsons supposed output.
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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