First post. 1906 CF Martin mandolin

**zappafan** · Feb-27-2017, 8:05pm

Hello to all. I'm hoping that I can get some information on a mandolin that has been in and out of my possession for about 50 years. I originally got it when we were cleaning out my grandparents place. I liked it just because to me as a kid, I thought it looked cool. Flash forward about 10 years, and a family friend was learning how to play the mandolin and my mother graciously offered up my mandolin to them. Now flash forward about 20 years and out of the blue, it gets returned to me. So I've had it in the closet for years. A friend of mine bought a guitar from around 1917 and we were discussing old instruments and it kind of jogged my mind to the mandolin. I've never played it and only took up guitar a few years ago. The serial number on it is 1697. I did find a site that allowed me to cross reference it to find the year. But other than that, I don't know much about it.

**DataNick** · Feb-27-2017, 10:01pm

Welcome to the Cafe!

Pictures would help the cognoscenti to give you more info on your mandolin.

**MikeEdgerton** · Feb-27-2017, 10:11pm

There is no cross reference from model to serial number. Post some pictures and we can tell you what you have.

**fifths** · Feb-27-2017, 10:17pm

I was going to say "pictures please" but that has been covered. If you're looking for another 20 year loan, I can be available for that, I promise to identify it.. I love my old Martin, I look forward to seeing yours.
(welcome!)

**allenhopkins** · Feb-27-2017, 10:40pm

Assume it's a bowl-back, because Martin didn't start making flat-backs until 1914 -- if you're sure of that 1906 date.

Mandolin serial numbers for 1906 ran 1670-2026, so if 1697 is the serial number, 1906 is correct. Martin made 353 mandolins in 1906, according to Mike Longworth's book; of that number, 144 were Style 0. the least expensive model they made that year. All were bowl-backs.

Pictures would let us get the exact model.

**MikeEdgerton** · Feb-27-2017, 10:44pm

The Mugwumps site showed 1906 as the date as well for anyone without the book.

**Buck** · Mar-02-2017, 4:25pm

Originally Posted by zappafan

Hello to all. I'm hoping that I can get some information on a mandolin that has been in and out of my possession for about 50 years...The serial number on it is 1697...

Since you posted the serial number, I took the liberty of asking our unofficial Martin historian about it. His response is below. Would you mind checking for the "Made in USA" stamp when you have a moment?

Serial number 1697 is a 1906 style 0 mandolin, It was stamped on February 8, 1906 and was shipped to R. S. Williams & Sons in Toronto on March 20 that year.

Does it have a "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the head stock?

**Mandolin Cafe** · Mar-02-2017, 5:20pm

Lots of folks don't know how to post pictures. Here's a video tutorial we did a long time ago for first-time posters.

**zappafan** · Nov-09-2018, 7:08pm

Well it seems that everything to do with this mandolin takes a long time. It had gotten put back on the self and now that I'm cleaning up, it jogged my memory about this site.