Re: Antigue Bowl back Circa 1900
This would be a mandolin that was made "for the trade" so that a school or teacher or retailer could sell it as their own brand. Probably built in Chicago. Most likely left the factory with no label and the school pressed the imprint on it when they got it. The number of staves on the back identify it as a student grade instrument. It's right around 1900, as Nick says a good possibility it was built by Lyon & Healy as they were a huge builder at the time. If you string it up use light gauge strings and if you're looking for a value many bowlbacks fail to sell weekly on eBay. The value is in the fact that it's a family heirloom. The scratch guard was probably tortoise shell or it's an early plastic called celluloid. The tortoise shell is an endangered species and the celluloid is highly flammable. A good luthier should be able to make you a new one out of a modern plastic that looks period correct. Hopefully Jim Garber or one of our other resident bowlback experts can pop up a catalog picture or description of a similar instrument.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
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