Guitar
Distributor
C. Bruno & Son, Inc.
Trade Name
Lyra
DateAugust 1936
Place MadeChicago, Illinois, United States, North America
Place DistributedNew York, New York, United States, North America
ModelLyra 1308
SignedPainted in gray on head: LYRA [downward facing arrow]Stamped in black ink on inside of back: 1308
Stamped in purple ink enclosed in oval on inside of back: 8-36MarkingsStamped in black ink on inside of back: 1308DescriptionThis inexpensive instrument looks like a Dobro resonator guitar, but is in fact a conventional guitar with a steel plate screwed to the top to look like a premium instrument, rather than having a spun aluminum resonator. The presence of stamped model number and date inside the instrument make an attribution to Harmony Company of Chicago most likely.
Top: one-piece birch; nickel-plated steel imitation resonator cover over silver-painted portion of top
Back: one-piece birch; black line painted down center in imitation of strip inlaid at center joint
Sides: birch
Head and neck: birch
Heel cap: none; neck heel set in from back
Finish: medium-to-dark brown sunburst; imitation curl figure on top, back and sides; dark brown on neck and head
Binding: none; ivory paint on top and back edges
Fingerboard: black-stained brown hardwood; 18 brass T-frets; ivory plastic dots behind 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th frets
Nut: ivory plastic; later
Bridge: maple with steel saddle
Tailpiece: nickel-plated steel
Endpin: missing
Tuning machines: two pairs of nickel-plated steel worm-gear tuners tuners with ivory plastic heads
Soundholes: two f-holes with wings joined to top in upper bout
Linings: kerfed light hardwood
Neck block: light hardwood with beveled corners
End block: light hardwood with beveled corners
Top braces: three spruce ladder braces, one above and two below soundholes; light hardwood bridge plate
Back braces: four spruce ladder braces with tapered endsDimensionsTotal guitar length: 944 mm (40-9/16″)
Back length: 484 mm (20-3/16″)
Upper bout width: 258 mm (11-19/32″)
Waist width: 216 mm (9-9/32″)
Lower bout width: 356 mm (16-3/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 82 mm (4-29/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 85 mm (4-9/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 94 mm (4-27/32″)
Head length: 153 mm (6-21/32″)
Head width, top: 58 mm (3-1/16″)
Head width, bottom: 60 mm (2-23/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 306 mm (13-25/32″)
Neck width, nut: 42 mm (1-23/32″)
Neck width, heel: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole length: 113 mm (3-31/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 615 mm (24-7/8″) 635 mm (25″)
Scale length: 610 mm (25″)ProvenanceAccording to donor, acquired in Norwich, Connecticut in the 1970s.
Credit LineGift of Stuart M. Frank, 2015
Object number15002
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