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Guitar

Date1893-1895 ca.
Place MadeBoston, Massachusetts, United States, North America
ModelBay State Style 206 Standard Size
Serial No.14482
SignedBranded on back of head, with decorative scrolls under text: BAY STATE
MarkingsStamped on end of head: 206 / 14482
DescriptionThe 206 model appears in catalog listings ca. 1890. In 1903 the factory was disbanded and equipment sold to Vega.

Stringing: six gut strings
Soundboard: two-piece spruce, medium grain broadening toward the flanks
Back: two-piece book-matched Brazilian rosewood with visible saw marks; back stripe comprised of alternating angled strips of light and dark hardwood surrounded on each side with two strips of light hardwood and three-ply strip of hardwood purfling
Ribs: two-piece Brazilian rosewood divided by ebony end graft strip (slightly wider toward top than bottom) surrounded by light hardwood strips on each side
Head: slotted, mahogany peghead veneered with rosewood, bound in ivory celluloid, and inlaid with two mother-of-pearl teardrops, a crecent, and a star
Neck: mahogany with ridge along center of back; integral with head
Heel cap: ivory celluloid
Binding: ivory celluloid; trim comprised of angled light, red, green, and black hardwood on top only
Fingerboard: ebony bound in half-edged ivoroid; 18 nickel-silver frets; mother-of-pearl star behind 1st fret; two mother-of-pearl triangles and a cross behind 3rd fret; two mother-of-pearl teardrops and one diamond behind 5th fret; mother-of-pearl star and two large circles behind 7th fret; two mother-of-pearl crosses behind 9th fret; large mother-of-pearl circle and two teardrops behind 12th fret; two large mother-of-pearl circles behind 15th fret; one large mother-of-pearl circle behind 17th fret
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony; bone saddle; ivory celluloid bridge pins
Tuners: two sets of brass worm-gear machine heads with brass rollers, bone heads, the plates decoratively stamped
Endpin: ebony with mother-of-pearl eye
Rosette: comprised of angled light, red, green, and black hardwood; enclosed by rings comprised of alternating blocks of light and dark hardwood and surrounded by purfling strips, with natural wood in between
Finish: clear lacquer
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners; maple graft at center, perpendicular to top and back
Top braces: four spruce lader braces, two each above and below soundhole
Back braces: mahogany back graft; five mahogany back braces, the three braces in the lower bouts with rounded edges, and wider and lower in height than the two braces in the upper bouts
Other: ribs reinforced with dark brown cloth strips running perpendicular to plane of soundboard and back
Strap button: later ivory plastic

DimensionsTotal guitar length: 935 mm (36-13/16″)
Back length: 453 mm (17-27/32″)
Upper bout width: 204 mm (8-1/32″)
Waist width: 164 mm (6-15/32″)
Lower bout width: 295 mm (11-5/8″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 83 mm (3-9/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 85 mm (3-11/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 86 mm (3-3/8″)
Head length: 186 mm (7-5/16″)
Head width, top: 71 mm (2-13/16″)
Head width, bottom: 56 mm (2-3/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 313 mm (12-5/16″)
Neck width, nut: 46 mm (1-13/16″)
Neck width, heel: 55 mm (2-5/32″)
Soundhole diameter: 86 mm (3-3/8″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 625 mm (24-5/8″); low E: 626 mm (24-21/32″)

Credit LineGift of Glenn Caluda, 2014
Object number14936
On View
Not on view
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