Martin Bowlback Tuner Cover Plate Engravings

[Erithon]

Hi all, first post here!

I recently acquired an 1898 Martin Style 3 and I'm fascinated by the engraving on the German Silver tuner cover plate on the back of the headstock:
These engraved covers seem to have been dropped in 1904 when a lot of the other appointment changes were introduced. I've scoured the internet and forum here, and came up with some a few other examples. These plates appear to have employed quite the variety of engravings: some with floral or foliate themes, others with cherubs, butterflies, etc. I think they are elegant and would love to see more examples or hear from anyone who has more info on them!

[Jim Garber]

Here is the headstock front and back of my circa 1902 Martin style 6.

[Jim Garber]

Here are a few more from other Martins of the period. I don't own them, just downloaded the jpegs over the years. S0me of these photos are not all that clear. These are the better ones. It was possible that they had a staff person doing the engraving but it is equally possible that they farmed it out or that these plates came from the supplier with various engravings.

Martin was not the only one who did this. The upper-end models of Vega and Washburns had these engraved plates. It would take some experts to tell us who the engravers were and if they worked for the suppliers or the mandolin makers.

1899 Style 6:


Here's another style 6 also 1899:


1903 Style 4:


1902 Style 4 (split plate) (Frank Ford):


I like the front and the back of the headstock of this 1905 Style 5:


1899 Style 5 from Bernunzio:

[Erithon]

Hi Jim,
Your Style 6 is stunning! Why do you say "circa" 1902? Is the serial number obscure?

And thanks for these other images. I hadn't seen that particular Style 5 from 1899 before and the one from 1905 is beautiful. I love how they added in the dart volute.

When I first saw that 1902 with the split plate a couple months ago it really confused me. But I concluded that the tuning machines and plate are replacements: the screw hole in the middle of the back of the headstock is clearly visible as are the gaps with the machine tracks. The two center holes in these plates lack screws. Martin did not use inlaid Handel tuner buttons like these on mandolins, although Gibson models A4, F2, and F4 did until 1918. This Martin was originally configured for a full cover plate as other pre-1904 mandolins.

I'm certain Martin didn't do the engravings themselves. They only had 8 employees at the time and none with this skillset. Martin probably ordered these cover plates from somewhere. Perhaps Europe? They still got their herringbone from Germany until the war and, to my eyes, these engravings are very reminiscent of European and Neapolitan mandolin stylings. Then, I suspect, they grabbed whatever plate was on top of the pile. There doesn't appear to be any pattern between year or model.

[brunello97]

This is indeed welcome thread for a subject all on its own.

After Jim's post I went through my files looking at tuner cover plate engraving from L+H and their Washburn models. Some are engraved but also some look as if they were done with some type of etching process as well on the more modest versions.

Outsourcing of the cover plates makes sense. (L+H and Martin didn't make the tuners, either.)

I've seen the twin inset tuners on Italian mandolins. Any examples of the full-plate cover on European mandolins that we know?

Mick

[Jim Garber]

The tailpiece covers can be quite nice. I have a few fancy ones on Martins but here is one from my Vega Pettine Special.

[Jim Garber]

Here is my Martin style 6 tailpiece and ivory bridge. I may never be able to sell this mandolin because of the verboten materials.


Here is the tailpiece cover from another style 6 — I think a few years later with split tuner plates. Nice style of engraving on the tp cover:


This one is one of the full plate with cherub on the tuner plate. Engraving on both bottom and top of the tp cover. I am not sure who Griffith is but prob not the famous Griffith of the Griffith Loar:

[seg]

1900 style 4

[BiggT]

I love the idea that every component of an instrument could potentially be an artistic element

[Erithon]

A most lovely example, seg, and one I have not come across yet - thank you for sharing!

[lenf12]

The tailpiece covers can be quite nice. I have a few fancy ones on Martins but here is one from my Vega Pettine Special.

I would love to see pics of this mandolin given the Pettine connection to Providence, RI (my hometown). Thanks Jim!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL