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Thread: Valentine abt

  1. #1
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    I've been doing some searching on Newspaper Archive Elite for articles about the mandolin in Wisconsin one hundred years ago or so, and I found this clip that struck me funny. It is from the Janesville Daily Gazette, February 9, 1901, announcing that Valentine Abt would be playing at the YMCA in Janesville. The announcement is made twice, with the second mention being snuggled in between ads for underwear. Does this tell us what the editors thought of Mr. Abt?

    -John.
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    Registered User Neil Gladd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Buckley @ Jan. 02 2007, 10:43)
    Does this tell us what the editors thought of Mr. Abt?
    It tells us that they only had room for a "brief" announcement.

  3. #3
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by
    It tells us that they only had room for a "brief" announcement.


    Yup, at least he made the news shorts.
    Ah! must --
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    John,
    Where do you live in Wisconsin?
    I'm in Mt. Horeb.
    Bill Foley

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    Stop it you punists... I knew Neil couldn't resist but Buckley?

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    Registered User MandoSquirrel's Avatar
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    Looks like he was Jockeying for position.
    I think I've seen that name before, wasn't he one of the Mando Superstars of his day?
    Elrod
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  7. #7
    Registered User Neil Gladd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (MandoSquirrel @ Jan. 02 2007, 19:15)
    I think I've seen that name before, wasn't he one of the Mando Superstars of his day?
    Yes, Valentine Abt (1873-1942) was an American mandolin soloist, composer and early recording artist. Here is one of his solo pieces, and three of his compositions for mandolin and piano will be in a collection that I expect to have out later this month. You can hear me play is Valse Brilliante on my myspace page (link below), and it will be in my book.

    Having finished my family holiday obligations, I am taking the next two weeks off to work on that and two other publications.

  8. #8
    Registered User MandoSquirrel's Avatar
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    I thought you'd know about him!
    Looks like some tune!



    Elrod
    Gibson A2 1920(?)
    Breedlove Cascade
    Washburn 215(?) 1906-07(?)
    Victoria, B&J, New York(stolen 10/18/2011)
    Eastwood Airline Mandola

    guitars:
    Guild D-25NT
    Vega 200 archtop, 1957?

  9. #9
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (RSW @ Jan. 02 2007, 13:38)
    Stop it you punists... I knew Neil couldn't resist but Buckley?
    I love a bad pun.

    By the way, I wonder if a reporter covered the concert and got to the bottom of the story.

    I'm done now...

    -John.
    Ah! must --
    Designer Infinite --
    Ah! must thou char the wood 'ere thou canst limn with it ?
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  10. #10
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (a12 @ Jan. 02 2007, 11:57)
    John,
    Where do you live in Wisconsin?
    I'm in Mt. Horeb.
    A good friend of mine lived for a time at Little Norway in a sod-covered house.

    I'll send you a PM.

    -John.
    Ah! must --
    Designer Infinite --
    Ah! must thou char the wood 'ere thou canst limn with it ?
    --Francis Thompson

  11. #11
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    If I am not mistaken Valentine Abt played an aluminum mandolin. I would love to know what that sounded like.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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    ABt played a lot of mandolins, especially those he was more or less paid to play. The alluminum Merril was one, but Vega also made a signature model mandolin for Abt. The mandolin that I would like to see is the one that Dounis played. Does any one know of a picture of Stauffer with a mandolin?

  13. #13
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Abt is also pictured in a circa 1912 Washburn catalog as an endorser.

    Jim
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    Quote Originally Posted by
    but Vega also made a signature model mandolin for Abt.
    Just FYI, I just posted a short summary of a Vega "Abt Model" mandolin that recently came into my hands in the "Bowlbacks of Note" thread. A fine instrument it is...

    Eric
    "The effect is pretty at first... It is disquieting to find that there are nineteen people in England who can play the mandolin; and I sincerely hope the number may not increase."

    - George Bernard Shaw, Times of London, December 12, 1893

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