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Neapolitan mandolin

Neapolitan mandolin

Maker: George Washburn (trade name of Lyon & Healy)
Date: 1901 ca.
Place Made:Chicago, Illinois, United States, North America
Model: New Washburn Latest Model Cremonatone No. 122
Serial No: 137337
SignedBranded into neck block: [text inside a belt encircling a guitar] ·GEORGE [star] / WASHBURN [this symbol hereafter referred to as “George Washburn logo”]

Printed in black ink on tan circular label immediately below neck block: [text in a circle bordered by two black stripes on either side] THE MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP OF THIS WASHBURN INSTRUMENT [George Washburn logo]; [inside circle, bordered by previous text] CREMONATONE. / No 137337 [digits written in black ink] / FULLY GUARANTEED / FOR THE TERM OF ONE / YEAR FROM THE DATE / OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE / PROVIDED THIS LABEL / IS NOT MUTILATED.; [stamped in red ink perpendicularly over previous text] TRADEMARK / CREMONA / REGISTERED

Gold oval label on inside back underneath rosette: [gold text inside black belt around circumference of label] HIGHEST AWARD AT WORLD’S COLUMBIA EXPOSITION,CHICAGO,1893 [star] / GOLD MEDAL AND DIPLOMA OF HONOR,ANTWERP, 1894.; [black test in center of label] THE / NEW / WASHBURN. / LATEST MODEL

Engraved into metal tuner cover: [text inside banner] WASHBURN
MarkingsStamped into tailpiece under cover: PAT’D
Stamped into top of head: 122 / 137337
DescriptionSoundboard: two-piece spruce: fine-to-wide grain
Bowl: 15 rosewood staves, inner 13 ribs narrower, divided by holly stringing
Clasp: rosewood; festooned lower end
Head: Spanish cedar or mahogany veneered with ebony on front face
Neck: Spanish cedar or mahogany; integral with head
Binding: ivory-celluloid; trim on top comprised of two-ply ebony/maple strips inlaid on either side of alternating dark hardwood/maple rhombi inlay
Fingerboard: ebony with ivoroid binding; 18 nickel-silver bar frets under G and D strings, 19 under A strings, 20 under E strings; single mother-of-pearl dot inlaid behind 5th fret; single crossed-diamond inlaid behind 7th fret; single flower inlaid behind 10th fret; decorative shape inlaid behind 12th fret
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony
Tuners: enclosed worm-gear machine tuners with decoratively-engraved nickel-plated brass cover, steel rollers, and ivoroid heads
Tailpiece: decoratively-engraved nickel-plated brass
Rosette: elliptical; ivory-plastic; trim comprised of nine-ply dark-stained hardwood / maple / green-stained maple / alternating maple and dark hardwood rhombi / pink-stained maple / alternating maple and dark hardwood rhombi / maple / maple / dark-stained hardwood
Pick guard: imitation tortoiseshell-celluloid
Lacquer: slightly yellowed
Bowl lining: brown paper
Blocks: light hardwood neck and end blocks
Top braces: spruce brace with tapered ends above soundhole; spruce braces with tapered ends below soundhole and at widest point of body; spruce graft at bend
Linings: Spanish cedar or mahogany
DimensionsTotal mandolin length: 610 mm (24-1/32”)
Top length: 316 mm (12-7/16”)
Maximum body width: 190 mm (7-15/32”)
Maximum bowl height: 161 mm (6-11/32”)
Head length: 148 mm (5-27/32”)
Head width, top: 71 mm (2-13/16”)
Head width, bottom: 58 mm (2-9/32”)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 145 mm (5-23/32”)
Neck width, nut: 28 mm (1-3/32”)
Neck width, heel: 39 mm (1-17/32”)
Soundhole height: 45 mm (1-25/32”)
Soundhole width: 68 mm (2-11/16”)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 329.5 mm (12-31/32”)
Body depth: 16 cm (6 9/32”)
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.
Credit Line: Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Not on view
Object number: 01239