Guitar
Makerby
Lyon & Healy
Distributor
Lyon & Healy
Trade Name
George Washburn
(trade name of Lyon & Healy)
Date1897-1900 ca.
Place MadeChicago, Illinois, United States, North America
ModelWashburn 1897 Style New Model No. 223 Concert Size
Serial No.191786
SignedBranded on back graft: [to left of main brand] 1897 / STYLE / [on belt in oval shape surrounding guitar] GEORGE / WASHBURN / [to right of main brand] NEW / MODELCircular label to treble side of neck graft: [around periphery of label] THE MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP OF THIS WASHBURN INSTRUMENT [on belt in oval shape surrounding guitar] GEORGE / WASHBURN / No191786 / FULLY GUARANTEED / FOR THE TERM OF ONE / YEAR FROM THE DATE / OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE / PROVIDED THIS LABEL / IS NOT MUTILATED
MarkingsBranded on neck block: I91786 [sic]
Branded on upper end of head: 123 / 191786
DescriptionStringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece spruce, medium grain broadening to wide at the flanks; two later sailboat decals in lower bouts
Back: two-piece Brazilian rosewood; back stripe comprised of three-ply light-red-light hardwood purfling strips
Ribs: two-piece Brazilian rosewood; ebony endgraft, wider at top, surrounded on each side by light-red-light hardwood strips
Head: slotted; mahogany veneered in Brazillian rosewood; integral with neck
Neck: mahogany
Heel cap: ebony
Binding: ivoroid with light-red-black hardwood strip trim on top, black and white celluloid strip trim on back
Fingerboard: ebony bound in ivoroid; 18 nickel-silver frets; abalone diamond with concave sides and black-ink-filled engraving behind 7th fret; abalone diamond with black-ink-filled engraving behind 9th fret; abalone lozenge with black-ink-filled engraving behind 12th fret
Nut: bone
Bridge: missing
Tuners: two pairs of nickel-plated brass and steel tuners with ivoroid heads
Endpin: ebony; broken off
Rosette: light, red, and dark hardwood chevron and block patterned ring, surrounded by dark-light-dark hardwood purfling strips rings, with wood in between, all set in from edge of soundhole
Pick guard: none
Varnish: clear with craquelure
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany with beveled corners
End block: mahogany with beveled corners
Top braces: three spruce ladder braces; spruce bridge plate; spruce plate and maple block above brace in upper bout, into which a truss rod is mounted, probably later (see pictures in file)
Back braces: four spruce with tapered ends, the lower two wider and lower in height than the upper two; spruce back graft
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 929 mm (36-9/16″)
Back length: 459 mm (18-3/32″)
Upper bout width: 223 mm (8-25/32″)
Waist width: 174 mm (6-27/32″)
Lower bout width: 313 mm (13-5/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 80 mm (3-5/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 91 mm (3-9/16″)
Rib height, at end block: 100 mm (3-15/16″)
Head length: 161 mm (6-5/16″)
Head width, top: 71 mm (2-25/32″)
Head width, bottom: 55 mm (2-5/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 308 mm (12-1/8″)
Neck width, nut: 47 mm (1-27/32″)
Neck width, heel: 58 mm (2-1/4″)
Soundhole diameter: 85 mm (3-11/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 618 mm (24-5/16″)
Credit LinePaul and Jean Christian Collection
Object number11655
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