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GIBSON F2 Florentine Mandolin in Original Case 1916 VERY GOOD CONDITION
Estimated price for orientation: 2 995 $
Category: String
Class:
Description Brand: Gibson Body Style: F Style Body Material: Maple Top Material: Spruce Number of Strings: 8 Exact Year: 1916 Model: F2 Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
The Gibson F2 Florentine Mandolin, Serial Number 25547, built in 1916. PROVENANCE: My Grandfather gave this beautiful instrument to my Grandmother as a wedding gift in 1917 and it has been in our family ever since. It is a gorgeous piece with great sound, but I do not play. A great instrument needs to be played and appreciated, so I am offering it in hopes that someone will give it the attention and love it deserves.
PHYSICAL HISTORY: The original pick guard was replaced with tortoise shell sometime in the 1920's. The original solid bridge was replaced with an adjustable bridge when a cracked head scroll was expertly repaired by Nashville luthier Scotty Jackson in 1999. A 2.5" stable crack in the front plate near the neck is now repaired 4/30/2017 by master luthier John Maddocks of Big Ivy Studio using cyanoacrylate glue and an internal diamond patch. (Dr. Maddocks did a complete work-up on this mandolin, and has given permission for you to contact him with questions. Send me your email address and I will give you his contact information, or reach him through Jane Maddocks at Big Ivy Studio, which you can Google.)
CONDITION: EXCELLENT for its age. Sound body, straight neck, good frets, original French polish. The rose button tuning machines work perfectly. This mandolin is a beautiful example from the Golden Age of American stringed instrument building.
CASE: Original case with red velvet lining. The case is also in excellent condition for its age. All the latches and hinges are in perfect working order, minus the key for the lock. The handle is sound and serviceable. The cover shows some minor handling marks, but is still quite presentable. I can provide additional pictures and copies of documentation on request.
DATE UPDATE as of 21 MAY 2017: I am advised that dating Gibsons is complicated because different sources use different data and the Gibson company was not consistent in its records keeping. One source reports a sale of a piece of this serial number range in 1912 while another states that this range was built in 1916. I have listed the serial number, so you can have a battle of the experts as to the actual date, but it's somewhere in there. I know it cannot be later than 1917. Interested buyers are welcome to visit, examine, and play this instrument before buying. I am proud of my packing skills, but still offer local pick-up if you prefer to transport this valuable and fragile antique yourself. If shipped, full insurance is highly recommended. I provide clear descriptions and pictures that reveal flaws as well as good points. I set my starting prices low, trust you to set the real value, never waste your time with Reserves and am happy to answer questions. Everything I sell is GUARANTEED. If for any reason you are not pleased, return the item within fourteen days of receipt, prepaid, in the same condition as received, for refund of the purchase price. Please review the feedback for my seller name "telyavelli,” and see my other listings.
Description
| Brand: | Gibson | Body Style: | F Style |
| Body Material: | Maple | Top Material: | Spruce |
| Number of Strings: | 8 | Exact Year: | 1916 |
| Model: | F2 | Country/Region of Manufacture: | United States |
The Gibson F2 Florentine Mandolin, Serial Number 25547, built in 1916. PROVENANCE: My Grandfather gave this beautiful instrument to my Grandmother as a wedding gift in 1917 and it has been in our family ever since. It is a gorgeous piece with great sound, but I do not play. A great instrument needs to be played and appreciated, so I am offering it in hopes that someone will give it the attention and love it deserves.
PHYSICAL HISTORY: The original pick guard was replaced with tortoise shell sometime in the 1920's. The original solid bridge was replaced with an adjustable bridge when a cracked head scroll was expertly repaired by Nashville luthier Scotty Jackson in 1999. A 2.5" stable crack in the front plate near the neck is now repaired 4/30/2017 by master luthier John Maddocks of Big Ivy Studio using cyanoacrylate glue and an internal diamond patch. (Dr. Maddocks did a complete work-up on this mandolin, and has given permission for you to contact him with questions. Send me your email address and I will give you his contact information, or reach him through Jane Maddocks at Big Ivy Studio, which you can Google.)
CONDITION: EXCELLENT for its age. Sound body, straight neck, good frets, original French polish. The rose button tuning machines work perfectly. This mandolin is a beautiful example from the Golden Age of American stringed instrument building.
CASE: Original case with red velvet lining. The case is also in excellent condition for its age. All the latches and hinges are in perfect working order, minus the key for the lock. The handle is sound and serviceable. The cover shows some minor handling marks, but is still quite presentable. I can provide additional pictures and copies of documentation on request.
DATE UPDATE as of 21 MAY 2017: I am advised that dating Gibsons is complicated because different sources use different data and the Gibson company was not consistent in its records keeping. One source reports a sale of a piece of this serial number range in 1912 while another states that this range was built in 1916. I have listed the serial number, so you can have a battle of the experts as to the actual date, but it's somewhere in there. I know it cannot be later than 1917. Interested buyers are welcome to visit, examine, and play this instrument before buying. I am proud of my packing skills, but still offer local pick-up if you prefer to transport this valuable and fragile antique yourself. If shipped, full insurance is highly recommended. I provide clear descriptions and pictures that reveal flaws as well as good points. I set my starting prices low, trust you to set the real value, never waste your time with Reserves and am happy to answer questions. Everything I sell is GUARANTEED. If for any reason you are not pleased, return the item within fourteen days of receipt, prepaid, in the same condition as received, for refund of the purchase price. Please review the feedback for my seller name "telyavelli,” and see my other listings.
PHYSICAL HISTORY: The original pick guard was replaced with tortoise shell sometime in the 1920's. The original solid bridge was replaced with an adjustable bridge when a cracked head scroll was expertly repaired by Nashville luthier Scotty Jackson in 1999. A 2.5" stable crack in the front plate near the neck is now repaired 4/30/2017 by master luthier John Maddocks of Big Ivy Studio using cyanoacrylate glue and an internal diamond patch. (Dr. Maddocks did a complete work-up on this mandolin, and has given permission for you to contact him with questions. Send me your email address and I will give you his contact information, or reach him through Jane Maddocks at Big Ivy Studio, which you can Google.)
CONDITION: EXCELLENT for its age. Sound body, straight neck, good frets, original French polish. The rose button tuning machines work perfectly. This mandolin is a beautiful example from the Golden Age of American stringed instrument building.
CASE: Original case with red velvet lining. The case is also in excellent condition for its age. All the latches and hinges are in perfect working order, minus the key for the lock. The handle is sound and serviceable. The cover shows some minor handling marks, but is still quite presentable. I can provide additional pictures and copies of documentation on request.
DATE UPDATE as of 21 MAY 2017: I am advised that dating Gibsons is complicated because different sources use different data and the Gibson company was not consistent in its records keeping. One source reports a sale of a piece of this serial number range in 1912 while another states that this range was built in 1916. I have listed the serial number, so you can have a battle of the experts as to the actual date, but it's somewhere in there. I know it cannot be later than 1917. Interested buyers are welcome to visit, examine, and play this instrument before buying. I am proud of my packing skills, but still offer local pick-up if you prefer to transport this valuable and fragile antique yourself. If shipped, full insurance is highly recommended. I provide clear descriptions and pictures that reveal flaws as well as good points. I set my starting prices low, trust you to set the real value, never waste your time with Reserves and am happy to answer questions. Everything I sell is GUARANTEED. If for any reason you are not pleased, return the item within fourteen days of receipt, prepaid, in the same condition as received, for refund of the purchase price. Please review the feedback for my seller name "telyavelli,” and see my other listings.