magnuscanis - Posted - 08/14/2012:  10:43:43

This is probably a long-shot, but I wonder if anyone can help me identify the maker, or any information about the origin, of this mandolin:

This was rescued from a bin several years ago by a friend of mine, who gave it to me as she thought I might like it.  Although it's a bit battered about, it appears to be a well-made instrument.  Unfortunately there are no identifying marks on it.

Here's a few more pictures:

I can post (or send you links to) more or bigger pictures, or give you some measurements or more detailed descriptions if that would help.

Ben Venuti - Posted - 08/14/2012:  16:53:32

Rosewood body? The pick guard detail is very reminiscent of a "Supertone" but the detailing /fully bound ,even the headstock, would be pretty fancy for a Supertone. The headstock shape is very much like many Larson Bros. instruments. I can't tell from the pictures but is there an exposed layer of the fret board between the edge binding and the neck? If it does then that is common to many Larson instruments and I've never seen anyone else use that detail on a mandolin of that vintage. I'd guess that it was made in the teens or the 20's and in any case whoever made it was almost certainly in Chicago. If it's a Supertone or just a generic Chicago mandolin the value is maybe a couple of hundred bucks max in that condition. If it turns out to be a Larson then you can easily triple that amount. Larson made a couple of brands, such as Maurer ,but mostly made "for the trade" to be branded by others and were never marked.

magnuscanis - Posted - 08/15/2012:  08:49:52

quote:

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Originally posted by Ben Venuti

Rosewood body? The pick guard detail is very reminiscent of a "Supertone" but the detailing /fully bound ,even the headstock, would be pretty fancy for a Supertone. The headstock shape is very much like many Larson Bros. instruments. I can't tell from the pictures but is there an exposed layer of the fret board between the edge binding and the neck? If it does then that is common to many Larson instruments and I've never seen anyone else use that detail on a mandolin of that vintage. I'd guess that it was made in the teens or the 20's and in any case whoever made it was almost certainly in Chicago. If it's a Supertone or just a generic Chicago mandolin the value is maybe a couple of hundred bucks max in that condition. If it turns out to be a Larson then you can easily triple that amount. Larson made a couple of brands, such as Maurer ,but mostly made "for the trade" to be branded by others and were never marked.

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Thanks for the information.

I'm no expert on wood but the body certainly looks like it could be rosewood.  There does appear to be an exposed layer of fret board between the binding and the neck, except at the soundhole end, where the binding goes all the way down.  Hopefully the following picture will make it a bit clearer (although it's still not great):

The mandolin was found in a bin in North Wales (where I live) and the person who threw it away (the former housemate of the person who rescued it and gave it to me) came from somewhere in England, but that doesn't mean the mandolin couldn't have come from Chicago.

I'm not aiming to sell it in any case, so it doesn't matter too much if I can't make a positive identification, but I'm happy to consider it as a possible Larson mandolin from Chicago, c. 1910-1930, until such time as I have compelling evidence to the contrary.

Ben Venuti - Posted - 08/15/2012:  18:03:29

You could get in touch with Bob Hartman Has a web site---"Larson's Creations" --or some such thing. He is considered the authority. My guess is that it is Larson made. Lucky You!