You are buying a Beautiful, ready to play Aluminum Musical Instrument Co. 1932 Aluminum Violin serial Number 18.
Aluminum Violin, designed by John Burdick for the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), circa 1930. An incredibly sculptural and emblematic icon of the Machine Age. The Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) first produced John Burdick’s full size aluminum bass in 1928. Dr. Joseph Maddy, the founder of the Interlochen School of Music, was drawn to the instrument for it's experimental use of material and it's sturdy quality. In 1932, Maddy collaborated with Burdick and ALCOA to produce the aluminum violin, which was distributed by the Aluminum Musical Instrument Company. It is signed with the distributor’s decal label to interior: "Aluminum Musical Instrument Co. Ann Arbor, Michigan 1932 patent applied for". Another example of this design is featured in the book "Aluminum by Design", Nichols, pg. 29. The example in the National Museum of American History is exquisite and is serial number 356.