1940s/50s United of NJ Mandolin?

[NickR]

That's my best guess- judging by the f holes and the headstock shape- which are very similar to the United made resonator mandolins. Of course, it looks a little like a Stradolin in terms of the f holes and Peter Sorkin sold those and United made instruments, for his various brands. The case is why I reckon it is circa 1950- which may not be original to the mandolin. Anyway, it needs a little work but the body looks okay- which may point to laminates but as the nut is broken it is harder to judge the neck. The metalware is American, so it is not MIJ as the seller speculates. There is a vintage strap in the case.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-A-S...39d0%7Ciid%3A1

[nmiller]

Not United. I do see some areas of resemblance, but they didn't use that body or headstock shape. I actually think this instrument pre-dates United; stylistically it looks more like the '30s than post-War (but I agree the case could be ca. 1950).

[NickR]

The Philips screws which hold on the tuners and the tailpiece also make me think it is post war but it may be pre-war as you suggest. The tuner buttons look to be two piece but I'm not sure which would make it later made. I have a Santacilla mandolin that I think was made by the former Oscar Schmidt company and that has the same headstock shape, dot markers and body shape but it is an oval hole, and Santacilla was a Sorkin brand. I think it is late 1930s but it does not use any Philips screws. This mandolin is certainly a bit of a mystery, in terms of its maker but it does not look like a product of Chicago's makers.

Paul Hostetter posted this photo of an United mandolin headstock ten odd years ago in this thread and it is identical in shape to my Santacilla mandolin and very similar to this one. The riveted Kluson tuners suggest WW2 or a little later for its construction.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...rmony-Mandolin

[mreidsma]

Every United guitar I've worked on had the tuners *nailed* to the headstock, so maybe the phillips screws were a later addition to keep the tuners in place? </speculation>

-Matthew

[NickR]

Looking at the photo of the tailpiece, it looks to me that the visible screw is a Philips head item but I think the other two which should be under the cover are probably nails.

[MikeEdgerton]

For posterity:

[Bill McCall]

Very elegant tailpiece design. Would be nice to see something like that on modern instruments, with a cover plate.

[MikeEdgerton]

That's a Waverly Cloud tailpiece without the cover They were used by everyone. Martin, Gibson, Kay, Harmony, Regal from the teens through the 70's. Nugget makes a similar tailpiece now (without the cover)