I am now the owner of this mandolin made by Fred Elchuk of Winnipeg in 1936.
In doing online research I found one of his mandolins in this thread:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...found-in-Kenya
I also found the mandocello from Folkways which provides a description of an instrument made by H Elchuk.
https://www.folkwaymusic.com/oldmuse...jogallery.html
I found a mandolin similar to the Kenya Mandolin in the Timmons Today publication as Timmons was was home to the Ukrainian Mandolin Orchestra.
The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra has a FB page with a MandoBass with a similar headstock and inlays as the other mandolins.
The mandolin I have looks like a unique design based on a Gibson A-C Century of Progress Mandolin and is dated around the same time - 1936. However, it has f-holes and an A5 fretboard extension. My main mandolin is a Gibson A-1 and I feel most comfortable with the wide nut mandolin and this Elchuk has a similar neck profile. The mandolin needs a lot of work, but I'm going to have it restored by Micah here in Denver.
We dropped a mirror in the f-hole and found quite a bit of information in pencil.
1. Hand Made Instrument Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Man 1936 Nov 26th
2. I cannot make out some of the other penciling. Maybe someone here can help.
Peogop Urszyk Bumminer Ma Kanaya 1936 ioga 26 HarSpa
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