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Thread: Early Gibson Advertisment

  1. #1
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    Default Early Gibson Advertisment

    Posting has been pretty light here lately so I'm going to try to start putting up some pics of random stuff I have that might start some discussions (and there's plenty of it here to discuss).

    First up is this early piece of Gibson advertising. It's not in front of me right now but it's roughly 3" X 5" (I could measure it more exactly if anyone cares to know). I don't know that I've seen this particular example posted here before.

    Anyone familiar with this one or the subject matter? It has text dated from 1905 so it's no earlier than that and I would venture to guess not later than 1910 given that Gibson would probably not be advertising a three point design after they "improved" it with the two point redesign.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Phil

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  3. #2
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Very cool. Is that a 3 he's holding?
    "Mongo only pawn in game of life." --- Mongo

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Yup. Early three point with ebony and pearl rope binding, "artist" neck inlays, and an interesting headstock inlay.

    Phil


    Edit:

    Oh, just realized that you might have been asking if it was a F-3. I think it's possible it is. I think the webpage acousticmusic.org has the 1903 catalog listed. I'll have to take a look at it later and check the specs.

    Phil

  5. #4
    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Is it just me, or does the headstock have a "lump scroll" instead of the big scroll on the treble side? I can't remember ever seeing that before.

  6. #5
    ISO TEKNO delsbrother's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Earlier threads on Kaai.

    You still hear people saying mandolins had no part in Hawaiian music, but there's plenty of pictures of Hawaiians holding mandolins. They may not have been playing hapa-haole music on them, but I believe this qualifies.

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  8. #6
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Yep, that'd be both 3s.. an F3-3pt to be precise
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Mr. Kaai appears in many Gibson catalogs starting in 1909.
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

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  11. #8

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Hello,

    I am in the process of compiling a biography of Ernest Kaai and have an upcoming museum exhibition here in Hawaii. It would be very valuable to have a TIFF or JPEG scan of your flyer from Gibson for my exhibit. I would be happy to pay you to take the time to make a scan or forward me what you have already.

    Best, -Kilin Reece

    www.krstrings.com

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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Kilin,

    I would have no problem loaning you the original ad for your exhibition if you wanted. Better it get's seen and appreciated than sit around my house. I'll PM you my email address if you want to discuss it.

    Phil

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  14. #10
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobin View Post
    ... does the headstock have a "lump scroll" instead of the big scroll on the treble side?
    I suspect that it's a standard headstock scroll, but the angle at which he's holding the mando doesn't allow light to come thru the narrow opening from the back, AND the grainy photo doesn't show the dark slit on the face of the black headstock. Since we're looking "down" on the end of the big body scroll AND the headstock scrolls are cut at the same angle (parallel to the body sides), I suspect that the headstock scroll just visually melts into the rest of the headstock.
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  16. #11

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    About 25 years ago I saw this exact model Gibson in a music shop in Albuquerque. It was kept high up in the shop;not for sale. I would stop by just to look at it. They never would even get it down so I could see the back.
    The pearl and ebony binding looks great in person.

  17. #12

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Quote Originally Posted by KR Strings View Post
    Hello,

    I am in the process of compiling a biography of Ernest Kaai and have an upcoming museum exhibition here in Hawaii. It would be very valuable to have a TIFF or JPEG scan of your flyer from Gibson for my exhibit. I would be happy to pay you to take the time to make a scan or forward me what you have already.

    Best, -Kilin Reece

    www.krstrings.com
    Hi Kilin - Have you had your exhibit yet? I would like to read about it. While researching my book on Orville Gibson I found advertisements for Gibson company instruments (for sale locally) in the newspapers in Honolulu as early as September 1904.
    Joyce

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  18. #13
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    This is the stuff nuts like me live for! I love this site!
    Thanks Scott!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  19. #14
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Is this one from 1923 early enough? Click image for larger version. 

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  20. #15
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    1908 Anti-Taterbug AD:

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    Jim

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  21. #16

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Hi there,

    Have not had the exhibit yet, the project is turning out to be pretty monumental. Scheduled for 2019 at Bishop Museum, which will hopefully coincide with the release of my book as well. Hawaii was one of the most important melting pots of 19th century string band music, everything from sailors folk songs to mandolin orchestras and of course all the wonderful Hawaiian music of the day.

    I have some stuff posted under "Historical Research" on my website: www.krstrings.com

    Best, -Kilin

  22. #17

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Quote Originally Posted by KR Strings View Post
    Hi there,

    Have not had the exhibit yet, the project is turning out to be pretty monumental. Scheduled for 2019 at Bishop Museum, which will hopefully coincide with the release of my book as well. Hawaii was one of the most important melting pots of 19th century string band music, everything from sailors folk songs to mandolin orchestras and of course all the wonderful Hawaiian music of the day.

    I have some stuff posted under "Historical Research" on my website: www.krstrings.com

    Best, -Kilin
    If you need any research done on the lee side of the Pacific, I'd be happy to help.
    Joyce

    All facts are important, it's just the context that changes - Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray

    Guitar, brown with six strings.

    Not really, it's a 1976 Alvarez, model 5059

  23. #18
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    The F5 ad from the 1937. No prewar F5 has been found that matches this drawing of the F5 with a Fern pattern and only the "Gibson" logo at a slant. There was only one from late 1941 that had a flowerpot with logo at a slant. Click image for larger version. 

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  24. #19
    Registered User Hendrik Ahrend's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    The F5 ad from the 1937. No prewar F5 has been found that matches this drawing of the F5 with a Fern pattern and only the "Gibson" logo at a slant. There was only one from late 1941 that had a flowerpot with logo at a slant. Click image for larger version. 

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    In 1930s catalogs a similar weird looking logo can be found on the F4, F7, F10 and F12, none of which have ever been found with this logo AFAIK. So I guess we are facing manually edited pictures.

  25. #20

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Aloha Joyce,

    The exhibit is set to open July of this year, its been a doozy with the COVID but we are very excited to share the story of Hawaiʻiʻs string legacy. Best, -Kilin
    www.kcpstrings.com

  26. #21
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    I still have no doubt that many old F-5's are still in hiding! Every year or so a new one comes back into the light be it an attic find or such, a prototype or even a long lost Loar or Fern etc.. They still are out there just waiting to be re-discovered! That one in the add above has an odd Gibson inlay that I don't think has ever been found! I've seen many old 30's A models with loads of different inlays than the say normal catalog descriptions!

  27. #22

    Default Re: Early Gibson Advertisment

    Carter vintage has a very similar, probably earlier, three-point, much like the one in the ad that started this thread. Just for reference and to see the instrument in full: https://cartervintage.com/collection...rville-f-c1899

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