Assistance to help shed light on family Mandolin

[Cahje0621]

quick over view. I received this mandolin from my great aunt. There is very very little known about it's life. My great aunt and my grand mother remember their grand father playing this mandolin before his death. The only clue to the age is, my great great grandfather passes away in 1949. I have attached several pictures, if there are any more pictures ya'll would need to like to have just let me the angle and under what lighting and I can post.

Maker: WaBash?? that is on the headstock and pickgaurd

Tuners: when I removed the tuners the name Kluson is stamped. I didn't think to take any pictures while I had it removed.
I'm not an expert, but I think that they are made from ivory.

Bridge: the bridge is a 2 part adjustable design made form ebony

Thank you everyone,

maybe we can figure something out or if anyone knows a person that I should get in contact with. '

 

[Default]

Apparently, it might be a brand made by Regal. If you measure the spacing between the tuner posts, you can determine what date it was made before. Prior to the early thirties, the spacing was greater than the modern standard. If you look at Stewart McDonald's website, they have a vintage spaced replacement that you can compare with your Wabash.
You can also check with Mandolin Cafe. They should have more knowledge to share.

 

[AcornHouse]

Yes, go over to the Mandolin Cafe. They have a whole stable of Hanses and Ralfs for the mandolin crowd.

 

[SFIV1967]

Apparently, it might be a brand made by Regal.

Wabash was the house brand name for instruments distributed by "David Wexler & Co." in Chicago.
Wexler's address was "823 South Wabash Ave.".
They show an address in Scottsdale, AZ today. https://wexlermusic.com/

The 1947 catalog shows a different model, so the mando in post#1 is older.




The mandoline in question was most probably made by Kay in Chicago. The Kay K-73 mandolin model was the exact same with the same Kluson tuners. K73 models were built from 1939-1952 according to the Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide.



There could be an ink stamp inside (need a mirror) showing a potential year, the above Sunburst one had a 46 which could have been 1946 as example.

So the date of the Wabash mandolin should be anything between 1939 and maybe 1945/46.

Ralf

 

[AcornHouse]

Wabash was a brandname for instruments distributed by "David Wexlar & Co." in Chicago. Wabash is a street name in Chicago.
They …

Ralf

Wabash is also a town in Indiana and there is a famous 19th century folk song about a train called the Wabash Cannonball. There was also a Wabash and Erie Canal. The Chicago street was most likely named after the town.

 

[Guildedagain]

Here's Roy to tell you all about it.

 

[SFIV1967]

Wabash is also a town in Indiana and there is a famous 19th century folk song about a train called the Wabash Cannonball. There was also a Wabash and Erie Canal. The Chicago street was most likely named after the town.

I guess so. I was just trying to say that Wexler's address was "823 South Wabash Ave." and that this seems to be the reason for the Wabash brandname of Wexlers intruments:



Ralf