Toy ukulele

Date1930-1940 ca.

Place MadeUnited States, North America

Serial No.none

Signednone
DescriptionThe dowel through the top block may indicate manufacture by the Harmony Company.

Stringing: four gut strings
Soundboard: one-piece Masonite; overhangs sides
Back: one-piece Masonite; overhangs sides
Sides: one-piece Masonite; joint stapled behind neck heel
Head: birch; shield-shaped head
Neck: birch; integral with head; roughly machine-carved; heel does not extend to back
Heel cap: none
Binding: none; white silk-screened line around edge of top in imitation of binding trim
Fretboard: black-painted Masonite, terminating in a point with concave edges; held to neck and top with three staples; 10 raised frets, not correctly tuned; yellow, silk-screened dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th frets
Nut: birch
Bridge: spruce; strings pass over bridge to steel tailpiece
Tuners: four white plastic
Tailpiece: black-painted pressed steel, affixed to lower bout with nail
Rosette: white silk-screened line set in from soundhole edge
Finish: orange paint on top and back with sprayed dark-red sunburst; dark-red-painted sides, neck and head
Linings: none
Neck block: roughly cut spruce; wood dowel through top block into neck
End block: roughly cut spruce
Top braces: none
Back braces: none
Strap: yellow and red cotton cloth strap
DimensionsTotal ukulele length: 565 mm (20-15/16″)
Back length: 276 mm (9-9/32″)
Upper bout width: 160 mm (4-19/32″)
Waist width: 120 mm (3-1/2″)
Lower bout width: 223 mm (6″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 57 mm (1-15/16″)
Rib height, at waist: 57 mm (2-1/8″)
Rib height, at end block: 57 mm (2-1/4″)
Head length: 95 mm (5-1/8″)
Head width, top: 49 mm (2-13/32″)
Head width, bottom: 48 mm (2″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 91 mm (6-9/16″)
Neck width, nut: 40 mm (1-11/32″)
Neck width, heel: 48 mm (1-27/32″)
Soundhole diameter: 50 mm (1-27/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 346 mm (13-1/16″)

Credit LinePaul and Jean Christian Collection

Object number11893

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