DM - 00011 1999 Duff F-5 Mandolin     EXC -   An exceptionally fine sounding mandolin that has some play wear but is crack free and generally in excellent condition. Classic sunburst spruce top and flame maple back and sides. Engraved tuning pegs and flowerpot inlay on the headstock. Engraved "Duff" tailpiece and adjustable bridge. The little pick wear around the scroll is indicative of the gentle play wear this mandolin has developed over more than a decade of use. But it is 'played in' and has a great easy setup and the sound is strong and classic for bluegrass or anything else. Hard shell case.
Price - Consigned at:   $6995.00

GM - 00141 1925 Gibson F-2 Mandolin     EXC -   Serial number 82669 which is a little hard to read on the label dates this to just after Mr. Loar had parted company with the Gibson folks to soar on to the greater heights of ViviTone. Unusual super slanted Gibson pearl logo on the headstock and truss rodded neck with 1 3/32" nut width. There is the common headstock scroll repair well done and not very noticeable. There is also one tiny surface crack at the bottom of the back also not very noticeable. The lacquer on the back has a lot of checking which is typical of many Gibson finishes of this era. The beautiful sunburst top is crack free with original pickguard, tailpiece and adjustable bridge. It also has it's original hard shell case is fair condition. This mandolin is set up beautifully, plays easily and sounds exceptionally good.
Price - Consigned at:   $4950.00

AM - 00011 1992 Steven Andersen F-5 Mandolin     Near Mint   Here is a perfect example from a highly respected maker. It really is near mint with just a teeny nick or two. And the sound is just magnificent, rich and clear. Not woofy like some bluegrass mandolins but will certainly cut it for bluegrass and really shine on jazz, swing or anything else. Sunburst spruce top and flame maple back and sides. Completely original from the end pin to the tuning pegs. Wonderful attention to detail everywhere with a beautiful feathery fern-ish headstock inlay. The label is signed and dated by Steven Andersen 7-20-92 and is serial number #149. Original hard shell case.
Price - Consigned at:   $6250.00

MM - 00017 1936 Martin Model 2-30 Mandolin     EXC -   These are lovely instruments and we don't see many of them. This one is a fine example with a beautiful sunburst crack free spruce top and spectacular flame maple back and sides. Original tuning pegs and Martin Decal on the Brazilian rosewood headstock veneer. Diamond / snowflake inlays grace the ebony fingerboard. Original ebony bridge and engraved tailpiece. Pickguard is long gone. Plays easily with a comfortable low action and sounds sweet as can be. Straight neck, good frets. Rare instrument. Newer tweed hard shell case.
Price - Consigned at:   $4500.00

NM - 00014 1932 National Style 1 Resonator Mandolin     EXC-   Plain and simple and in really nice condition with a fresh re-fret and setup and new cone and biscuit. It sounds great. Both top and back are nice and clean with no breaks or dents or separations or the like. Plain headstock and 40's period tuning pegs with new buttons. Some soldering has been done on the original tailpiece. It all works just fine. Decent gig bag.
Price - Consigned at:   $1495.00   Price Reduced: Now $1295.00

KM - 0002 1989 Everett Kettler Model TF-2     EXC +   This mandolin is a real hoss with tons of volume and plenty of bass and a nice fat high end that develops a bit of reverb to it. Spruce top and flame maple back, sides and neck. Note the small f-holes and unusual carve to the top. Pearl inlaid rosewood peghead overlay as well as rosewood fingerboard, and pickguard. Allen style tailpiece and ebony adjustable bridge. Beautiful heel treatment. Fine workmanship throughout. Everett Kettler of South Woodbury, Vermont is quite a character and is no longer making mandolins. If you go to www.mandolincafe.com and search the forums you will find a few interesting articles about him. He makes furniture, wooden boats, Amish horse carriages, as well as musical instruments. He has signed and dated the label March 6, 1989, serial number 0133. This is an unusual and powerful mandolin. Hard shell case.
Price:   $2850.00

GM - 00106 2007 Corrado Giacomel Octave Mandolin     EXC+   A beauty from Corrado Giacomel of Genoa Italy. Red Sunburst spruce top and flamey maple back and sides, all crack free. Maple neck and ebony fingerboard, pickguard and adjustable bridge. Super comfortable ebony tailpiece. I think if the classic Loar design two point body with a scroll is the American equivalent to the Corvette, then the Giacomel design is equivalent to the Ferrari. He has given an Italian flavor even to the 'flowerpot' on the headstock and certainly to the classic scroll. Gold plated tuning pegs. This mandolin has great power and fantastic tone that has plenty of depth in the low end and develops nice reverberation at the high end. 20" Scale Length     1 5/16" Nut Width.   Gig Bag.
Price:   $10,500.00

GM - 00144 1925 Gibson A-4 'Snakehead' Mandolin     EXC+   A wonderful specimen of a very early (FON # 8123 and Serial # 81564) 1925 classic Loar period Snakehead with the gorgeous deep red sunburst finish on the spruce top and dark stained maple back and sides. It has a nice slim ( 1 1/8" at the nut) truss rodded mahogany neck. It's completely crack free with no issues or repairs or replacements and it is all original from it's end pin to it's tuning pegs. "Snakehead" headstock with colorful abalone inlaid fleur de lys. It has its nice original hard shell case and its original Virzi Tone Producer #10636 beautifully intact. It has a great setup, plays easily with good height on the original patent stamp dated adjustable bridge. The tone is full and bright and rich and spacious.
Price:   $7650.00

GM - 00036 1936 Gibson "Fern" F-5     EXC   This one will stand up to any mandolin in any situation. It's right up there with the best of the best. Sunburst spruce top is crack free as are the flame maple back and sides. Original pickguard which has a teeny almost invisible repaired crack at its tip. Tailpiece, bridge and end pin are also original as are the tuning pegs. Beautiful Fern inlay on the headstock and on the back of the headstock a "Made In USA" stamp indicating that the mandolin was originally shipped out of the country. Also two small holes that once held a strap attachment bracket. One can envy the scroll from the front or the back with great satisfaction. There is normal player wear on the back of the neck but one doesn't notice it at all when playing. The thing plays great. The label is in fine shape showing the serial number 93722. And the original 'red line' hard shell case is in pretty nice shape.
Price - Consigned at:   $54,500.00

GM - 000140 1906 F-3 Artist Model Mandolin     VG++  : This is the best sounding and nicest playing example of one of these old 3 point Artist Models that I've run across. The top is crack free with original finish worn at the sound hole and pickguard(s) there's a cute little added one. The back and sides are mahogany and also crack free. There is a hairline repaired heel crack and the common headstock scroll repair but this one is really expertly done. There is also a virtually invisible repair to the treble side of the neck below the peghead. No headstock crack, just a little chunk replaced where it was all grunged up. Like I said, you can't see it or feel it. The headstock and the area just below it have been refinished. The original engraved Handel tuning pegs have one replaced gear and screw. Original end pin and original compensated bridge and "pineapple" tailpiece. The hard shell case is nice and looks maybe like it was custom ordered or even home made. And it's got the "Orville Label" serial number 4841.
Price - Consigned at:   $5750.00

GM - 00139 1919 Gibson F-2 with Virzi Tone Producer     VG+   The serial number 49279 on the label puts this mandolin at 1919 so it likely went back to the factory sometime in the twenties to have the Virzi installed. It has the beautiful dark red to orange sunburst on the top and red stained nicely figured birch back. The top has two cracks, one repaired below the fingerboard extension and another that doesn't go through the wood above it. The peghead scroll has been repaired but there is now a piece of veneer missing. The tuning pegs have been replaced. Nice original bridge and endpin as well as a very nice tailpiece. There is a little loose and cracked binding at the end of the fingerboard and a little piece of binding missing on one of the points. This mandolin is well set up and plays comfortably and has a really full pleasant sound either because of or in spite of its Virzi. The finish except on the peghead is all original. And it has a worn but nice original hard shell case. It can use some more cosmetic work and a pickguard, thus the bargain price.
Price:   $2250.00    SOLD

GM - 00071 1919 Gibson F- 2     EXC-   Sn # 49891     A fine sounding and playing example of a late teens Gibson F model with the reddish sunburst top and red stain birch back and sides. This one has the nice carving on the rear scroll as well as the front one. Original engraved tail piece and replacement Schaller tuning pegs and adjustable bridge. Pearl angled "The Gibson" script inlayed on the headstock. There is some 'honest play wear' and a few nicks and scratches and one typical hairline coming up from the treble point and another teeny hard to see hairline across the back of the peghead which has been closely inspected, sealed and pronounced healthy. Nice original hard shell case with replaced handle.
Price:   $4350.00

Gm - 00095 1915 Gibson F-2 Blackface Mandolin     EXC -   This one has the checking or crazing on the original top finish that some people (like me) really like. And it also has the binding that ends on the inside of the scroll which likewise appeals to some of us. It has one solidly repaired hairline crack next to the bass side of the fingerboard that is no biggie. It's got the desireable Handel tuning pegs with the inlaid buttons and its original tailpiece , pickguard and endpin and a Loar period replica adjustable bridge. Nicely figured slab cut birch back and sides. And the headstock does NOT have the typical repaired scroll crack neither big nor little. The label is in nice shape. It lives in a sturdy travelite style case.
Price - Consigned at:   $4350.00

GM - 00089 1928 Gibson A Model Blackface     EXC   A little wear on the black top and a bit as well on the birch back and sides which like the rest of the mandolin are crack free. This is a real good player with a good strong sound. Silver stenciled "The Gibson" on the truss rodded headstock and original tuning pegs. Adjustable bridge with 1921 patent stamp and nice engraved tailpiece. Good label with serial # 87208 nice and clear. Good newer shaped tweed hard shell case.
Price:   $2850.00

MM - 00014 1929 Martin Style 20 Mandolin     VG+   Here's a first year of issue of this model. Crack free with well aged spruce top and flame maple back and sides. Ebony fingerboard with abalone dots inlaid. Nice engraved tailpiece, original tuning pegs, ebony bridge, replaced pickguard and brazilian rosewood peghead overlay. This one plays very easily, really sweet and beautiful tone. Non original hard shell case.
Price - Consigned at:   $2800.00

MM - 00012 1962 Martin Model 2-15     VG+   There certainly weren't a lot of these puppies made. Carved sunburst spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Nice playing and sounding instrument. Original tuning pegs with a great little strap attachment device on the back of the peghead. A clever endpin arrangement has been added to the tailpiece. Gold Martin script on the Brazilian Rosewood headstock overlay. There's a mark on the top that looks like maybe someone put something hot down on it once. Hardshell case in fair shape.
Price:   $895.00

HO -0005 ca. 1900 Howe Orme Style 4 Mandolin     EXC -   These little old things put out a lot of sound for their size. Lower Bout = 7 1/2".   Nut Width = 1 1/8".   Scale Length - 13 1/8".   The Style 4 sports the spruce top with the "cylinder" hump being partially responsible for it's fine tone. It also has gorgeous Brazilian rosewood back and sides and fancy engraved inlays on the ebony fingerboard as well as the headstock. Lovely soundhole rosette and five ply (white/red/black/white/black) body binding. Original tuning pegs. The label is in good shape and the serial number is #0785.   There are two repairs, both typical. One at the heel and one at the back of the peghead. Both are solid and professionally done. It has it's original violin case in fairly decent shape.
Price:   $1895.00

SM - 00016 1940's Stradolin Jr.     VG   Like many of it's bretheren this low end Stradolin has no business sounding so darn good. But it does anyway. And it has a comfortable action and good frets and a straight mahogany neck. Complete and original with one teeny hairline crack coming up from the bass f- hole that poses no threat and no other repairs or issues, just the play wear you see in the pictures. The tone of this thing is really sweet and full. Sunburst spruce top and likewise sunburst birch ? back and sides. Original black buttoned tuning pegs and a very cool Gumby - like peghead. Original pickguard, rosewood adjustable bridge and nice cloud tailpiece. No case.
Price:   $675.00

VM - 0007 ca. 1940 Vega D- 100 Electric Hollow Body Mandolin     EXC+   A nice example of electrification from one of the innovative pioneers of the early days. And it sounds pretty good acoustically too with its elevated fingerboard and it plays real nice and easy. Sunburst spruce top and subtly 'bursted' mahogany back (those are reflections in the picture) and sides. All crack free and clean and all original from amber buttoned tuning pegs to cloud tailpiece to the tone and volume knobs and the inside label. Vega script on the headstock is nice and clean too. It's got the old amphenol style input jack and a good proper cable that works fine. All the electronics also work fine.   The original hard shell case is in nice shape. Scale length is 13 3/4".
Price:   $1995.00

DM - 0004 1911 Dayton Style B Mandolin     VG+   A rare item and a unique design. This one is fancier and in nicer shape than the Pair in the Museum. It's black top original finish is in nice shape with some wear and the mahogany back is excellent and nicely figured. Viewed from side the white divider would appear to be simply ornamental but there is a false back - secondary sound board - in the middle of the instrument that has almost impossible to photograph cats eye shaped sound holes in it. The label is fairly well preserved. It has a good full strong sound and plays easily with straight neck good frets and good action. It has attractive fingerboard and headstock inlays and original tuning pegs and a very nice original case.
Price:   $1695.00

GA - 00044 1980 Monteleone Grand Artist     EXC ++   This is #44 and signed and dated by John Monteleone. I'm lucky enough to hear a lot of great mandolins played by great mandolin players on a regular basis. This one has character and quality to equal any of them, whether they are worth 25 grand or a hundred grand. Gorgeous sunburst spruce top and intense flamed maple back and sides. The Grand Artist displays many of John Monteleones distinctive innovations such as the tailpiece which has since been copied ad infinitum and the headstock design. The custom bridge has bone insets for the treble strings. His unique scroll is a beautiful extrapolation of old Orville's from both front and back. Triple bound rosewood pickguard. Gold engraved tuning pegs. Deluxe arched plush lined hard shell Ameritage case.
Price:   $24,500.00

SM - 0009 Oscar Schmidt "Sovereign" Mandolin     EXC   From the mid to late twenties, this rare little beauty plays just great and has a really nice full mellow sound. Pearloid fingerboard and headstock and beautifully grained book matched mahogany (or maybe it's koa) back and sides. The wide grain spruce top is crack free as is the rest of the mando and has an inlaid pearloid pickguard, fancy diamond trim around its border and soundhole, an intricate carved bridge and an engraved tailpiece. Original tuning pegs with one replaced shaft. Old end opening case has about had it.
Price:   $895.00

NM - 0005 1930 National Triolian Mandolin     VG+   This is a rare little beast and it is one of the loudest mandolins I've ever heard. Plays good too. 15" scale length so it sounds real bluesey tuned down to F or E. (E sounds great but F is easier for transposing 'on the fly' in jams) It's got the rare early 8 grid coverplate with the usual worn pick area, some chipping on the sides, just a few nicks on the back. Original tuning pegs and the National Triolian Shield on the peghead. No case.
Price:   $1750.00

WM - 0004 Walton Mandolinetto ca. 1912     VG ++   Only one of these I've ever seen and it is a beauty. No cracks or repairs. Lots of herringbone binding on the aged spruce top and high quality brazilian rosewood back and sides with a mini-zipper backstripe. Attention to detail abounds. Note the herringbone heel trim and how it extends up the back of the neck. It extends to the bottom as well where it surrounds the tailpiece. The profusely inlaid headstock even has inlaid mother of pearl string ferrules. Abalone inlaid diamonds grace the side of the peghead. The fingerboard is likewise profusely inlaid with a couple of small pieces needing to be replaced. The tuning pegs are also of high quality. And the original aluminum compensated bridge was state of the art at the time and gives a nice tone. The instrument plays well and sounds lovely with good volume. Scale Length = 13 inches and the Nut Width is 1 1/8 inch.   A quaintly decaled fiddle case is its slightly oversize home but with padding provides fine protecion.
Price:   $1695.00

BFM - 0002 ca. 1905 "Artist Model" Bowlback Mandolin     EXC   A fine example of the 'state of the art' in mandolins back it its day. Six ply binding topped off with alternating pieces of ebony and pearl trim the crack free spruce top and a gorgeous pearl butterfly adorns the inlaid tortoise shell pickguard. A one piece Brazilian rosewood skirt encloses 23 rosewood ribs each separated by a thin strip of maple. The new ebony fingerboard is bound and has side dots and ends in an attractive extension that gives a full 22 frets. This mandolin plays easily and sounds great. A beautiful piece of Brazilian rosewood adorns the headstock and its original tuning pegs are in fine shape. No makers name inside. No case.
Price:   $995.00

WM - 0003 1920's Weymann Mandolute     VG+   These don't come around that often and this one plays nicely and has a fine sound for folk, celtic, etc. (not bluegrass). The neck and frets are fine. Dark stained spruce top and flamey maple back and sides. The sides are recessed in the European style which looks very cool. One well repaired crack on the top and no cracks on the back or sides. The original tuning pegs have lovely engraved cover plates and the Weymann Decal resides on the back of the peghead. No case.
Price:   $675.00

KM - 0006 1915 C. Knutsen Harp Mandolin     EXC-   Here is a beautiful museum piece that is also a cool playable instrument.   The label states "C. Knutsen Sole Patentee".   The beautifully aged spruce top is crack free. There are a couple of minor old repaired cracks in the attractive mahogany back and a couple more old repairs in the bass side. The elegant fingerboard inlay and cosmic peghead inlay really set it off. Not to mention that gorgeous butterfly with it's wispy antennae inlaid into the pickguard and one (or is that two?) of the sexiest bridges ever. It has its original tuning pegs and tailpieces. I've seen quite a few harp mandolins but not many with actual harp bass strings on them. Experimenting with different tunings is great fun. It is all original and ready to rock. No case.
Price:   $8450.00

HH - 0007 ca. 1900 Hammond Harp Mandolin     EXC   A custom order for an imaginative player? A stroke of genius by the builder himself? herself? One can't help but wonder. But it combines extreme innovation with an acutely unique sense of design. From the H. Hammond Company of Sioux City, Iowa. Red stained spruce top has a couple of repaired cracks as does the Brazilian rosewood back. The sides are crack free. The headstocks have beautiful burl veneers, perhaps walnut. The bass harp strings are arranged in three double courses and have their own 5 fret fingerboard! Original tuning pegs work fine and the back plates on the set of 8 match the back plates on the set of 6 where as the top curves of the pegheads are exquisitely complimentary. Tasty pearl inlays on the main fingerboard and by the way the frets are good and the action is low and it plays quite nicely. Beautiful heel arrangement. Dual tailpieces. One of them patented 1891 . Interesting wood octagonal soundhole rosette and inlaid maybe tortoise pickguard. And the label is mostly intact and proudly states "Work Guaranteed". This is also put on the heel block and there are some Made in Sioux City labels inside as well. No case.
Price:   $3750.00

VMB - 00017 1922 Vega Tubaphone Style X Mandolin Banjo     EXC-   This may have been a custom order because it contains some of the features of the Style 9 series like the fancy marquetry on the bottom of the rim and engraved fingerboard inlays. Yet it clearly states Style X on the dowel stick. Nice engraved inlays on the headstock and original enclosed tuning pegs. Flamey maple neck and lovely carving on the heel cap. There is a solid expertly repaired crack on the heel. Bell Brand tailpiece. Seems to be a skin head that has been 'rubbed down'. Original hard shell case has seen better days. Good setup with nice comfy action and a fairly mellow (for a mandolin banjo) sound.
Price - Consigned at:   $1695.00

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