New member, old mandolins, easy one first.

[scottjpatrick]

hello all, came here from the telecaster site but have had mandolins for quite a few years too. one I've managed to identify through browsing here but would like more info if possible. It's a 1920's Regal reverse scroll which seems to have a connection to Lyon and Healy. I believe these were made by Regal and then sent out to several retailers. Mine has a label with the name Mandore and a Boston trademark. Lyon and Healy marketed these as Guydyu.

[mrmando]

Did you see this thread?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-GUYDYU-mando-!

[scottjpatrick]

I did thanks, nice mandolin and quite playable.

[allenhopkins]

The mandore is a small lute, considered the ancestor of the mandolin; Wikipedia article. I can't find a link between "mandore" and a Boston music store, but Google's not omniscient.

Other than that, your ID seems right on. Most of the reverse scroll mandolins were apparently sold under Regal's own name, but Lyon & Healy did also distribute some. Manufacture date is usually listed non-specifically as "1920's," "1930's," or "1920-30's." Don't know if anyone can assign a firm date to any of 'em.

Regal built quite extensively for other manufacturers; they built a large share of the wooden instrument bodies for Dobro and National, for example. So some of the instruments sold under the "Regal" label had parts from other companies, and some of the other companies' instruments had Regal components.

I really like Regal instruments, and currently own a Regal taropatch ukulele, a Regal koa tiple, and a Regal flathead tenor banjo shell fitted with a five-string "Pete Seeger" long neck. Good, solid inexpensive construction, as a rule.

[scottjpatrick]

Thanks guys, I searched 'Mandore' extensively and found the pre-mandolin references which was a bit confusing, didn't help when I went on google images to find that Mandore is also the name of a large city in India. Any ideas about the H C Boston logo? I presume just another of the many retailers Regal supplied.

[allenhopkins]

Looking closely at the trademark, I decipher it as "O D Co," which leads me to suspect Oliver Ditson Co.

[scottjpatrick]

Thanks Allen, that trademark is quite hard to make out! Nice to see from the link that the mandolin also has a Scottish connection!