Oh this is a special one.
Not only does it complete the Home’s collection of vintage F style instruments (to go with the 1925 F4 and the 1912 K4), it matches the all of the appointments of the F4 down to the chocolate buttons, themselves very rare. Sadly it doesn’t have a Virzi.
It’s had some repairs in its 100 year old life, most notably a neck heel crack and what appears to be a small crack on the top extending from the scroll. The are well repaired and very stable.
Dressed and set up by the incomparable David Harvey at the Gibson Custom Shop it plays perfectly up and down the neck. And it is a CANNON. A massive tone beautifully balanced. I could not be happier.
Even has the original case in excellent condition.
SN: 74891
FON: 11812
which…..seems to make it this instrument.
From the Mandolin Archive, the provenance then is
“Owned by Charles Higginson of Lawrence, Kansas. Used in performances with the Uptown Mandolin Quartet which employs two F4 mandolins, this mandola and a K4 mandocello, all of nearly equal Gibson vintage and will ultimately be displayed on this web site. It’s believed this is the same mandola listed on page 82 in the Carter/Gruhn book Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments. Same vintage and purchased from the owner listed in the book. Exceptional warm deep tone and gorgeous wood and sunburst.”
