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Thread: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

  1. #1
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    Here are a couple of photos of pages 546 and 545 of the Wards Fall/Winter 1935/1936 catalog. Featuring the Wards 1610 (Kalamazoo KM-11) and Wards 1607 (Kalamazoo KM-21). Thanks to Paul Fox for identification back in 2017 when another scan of the catalog page was posted. Page 545 has the guitars which were also Gibson made. Reference from Paul's book "The Other Brands of Gibson" pp. 48-49 for guitars, p. 57 for mandolins.

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    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
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    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    Thanks for posting this.

    It is important to clarify that of the string instruments on these pages, only the model 1610 and 1607 mandolins, the model 1586 banjo, the model 1201 and 1204 Carson Robison flat top guitars, and the model 1241 and 1241 arch top guitars were built by Gibson. All of the other string instruments were made by Regal and perhaps Harmony and/or Kay.

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  5. #3

    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    Ah yes, back when a dollar was really a dollar! Good value for the money.

    About 35 years ago I found a Carson Robinson guitar at a flea market for $10. It needed some setup, so I took it to the local vintage guitar shop. Anyway, the owner went nuts over the guitar and basically instead of getting it setup, he ended up buying it from me for $250, which I was fine with. Looking back, it now makes more sense -- it was a Gibson, he knew it and I didn't! But, back then my rent only cost me $10 bucks that month!

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    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    If you got 250 bucks for a Carson Robison in the '80's, you did pretty well.
    You could buy an L-00 with the Gibson logo for $500 - $600 through most of the 1990's. Or, for the same amount, a model A, A-1, or A-2 mandolin.

    Kalamazoo and Ward brand instruments made by Gibson didn't bring more than a few hundred until sometime after 2000.
    It was more fun in the old days when the old instruments were a lot cheaper.

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    If you got 250 bucks for a Carson Robison in the '80's, you did pretty well.
    You could buy an L-00 with the Gibson logo for $500 - $600 through most of the 1990's. Or, for the same amount, a model A, A-1, or A-2 mandolin.

    Kalamazoo and Ward brand instruments made by Gibson didn't bring more than a few hundred until sometime after 2000.
    It was more fun in the old days when the old instruments were a lot cheaper.
    True. At one point the KM-11 models were about $150 and no one bothered with the KM-21 as they weren't considered worth owning at the time. And at that time most folks didn't know the difference between an L-1, L-0, L-00.

    Will be interesting to see if A models and others drop back down to that price range. Expect they will fairly soon.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

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    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    Thanks for posting this.

    It is important to clarify that of the string instruments on these pages, only the model 1610 and 1607 mandolins, the model 1586 banjo, the model 1201 and 1204 Carson Robison flat top guitars, and the model 1241 and 1241 arch top guitars were built by Gibson. All of the other string instruments were made by Regal and perhaps Harmony and/or Kay.
    There are two Kay built mandolins on the first page shown. I remember when the first Gibson made/rebranded Wards Kalamazoo mandolin hit the cafe years ago. A famous vintage instrument dealer said a certain model didn't exist and then one popped up here. I love the Gibson second lines.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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    Default Re: 1935/36 Wards Fall/Winter Catalog Gibson made mandolins

    For those who are interested, Ranger Doug is writing a biography of Carson Robison- someone who has been relatively obscured by the fame of other singing cowboys.

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