Cool trench art mandolin from WWI

[Steve VandeWater]

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/m...831338181.html

I couldn't justify the price, but it's a cool piece of history!

[Timbofood]

It is cool. Seller seems to have a sense of humor too.

[EdHanrahan]

Very neat! Not often do you see a mandolin that's largely soldered together. Guessing that the artwork is mostly hammer & centerpunch.

If the bar frets weren't so irregular when viewed from the side, I'd have guessed that it was a pre-existing neck that got drafted - the woodwork looks that clean. I can see where the existing tailpiece might not be strong enough, but hope he doesn't change it too far from the soldered-on original.

[Bob A]

Interesting instrument, delusional pricing.

[Jeff Mando]

Cool wall hanger. Hard to say what it is worth. Not worth much as a mandolin, IMHO, but might be worth something to a collector of folk art.

Two examples: I found an old 30's Duncan yoyo at a flea market that a soldier carved a Hawaiian sunset scene complete with hula girl and palm tree and seagulls -- really a cool piece -- I put it on eBay for $400, I sold it but it took a couple years to find the "right" buyer....

Also, I have a handmade parlor sized guitar made entirely of metal that I was told made by a prisoner in Kokomo, Indiana probably in the 30's or 40's (no proof, but it does have 30's era tuners on it) anyway, doesn't matter, I like the story and it looks cool and sounds great, rings just like a (good) resonator guitar, don't know the value -- but I wouldn't take $1000 for it and a lot of people have tried to buy it.

[tonydxn]

These 'trench' mandolins turn up on European eBay from time to time. They attract quite a bit of interest and usually sell for around £100. This seller will be very lucky to realize his dreams of $1275.