Re: Information on resonator mandolin
An oddity. Jim S is correct in stating it appears to be a National-style biscuit-bridge instrument. The label doesn't make sense, in a way; according to the late Bob Brozman's authoritative book, the National Duolian line –– sort of a budget label –- included "Steel body single-cone guitars and Hawaiian guitars only." (The History & Artistry of National Resonator Instruments, p. 96)
After the National Dobro Co. (the Dopyera-run amalgamation of the two companies in the mid-1930's) stopped production in 1941, the "National" and "Dobro" labels were used by other manufacturers, first Valco and later by an outfit known as Original Musical Instruments or OMI. I believe the Dopyeras was involved with OMI, who started making resonator instruments in 1967. They made both Dobro-style spider bridge and National-style biscuit bridge instruments in CA, before Gibson bought them out in 1997 and moved Dobro production to Nashville. The "National" label was later acquired, I guess, by National Resophonic, who make the current National guitars and mandolins.
While OMI was building instruments, they made some National-style -- I owned, briefly, a nickel-plated brass biscuit-bridge guitar labeled "Dobro" -- and this one's probably an OMI product, with a label including both "National" and "Dobro" language. From its appearance, I'd guess it was made during the OMI period, 1967-97.
So while the original National Co. didn't make Duolian mandolins, quite possibly OMI did, and sorta "cross-labeled" them to signify that while they were made by the company making Dobros, they were made in the National biscuit-bridge style. My guess, anyway.
Of course, you could take this one apart and find it has a spider bridge, which would make things even more confusing.
Allen Hopkins
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