Chicago

❌SOLD❌ Royal Aire by National Solidbody Electric Guitar Sunburst, 1951

On May 11, 2020 /

Here is a rarity – a Royal Aire by National solid body electric guitar, dating to 1951 and one of the earliest production electrics for National and its parent Valco. Clearly a National model given its construction and components, Royal Aire branded instruments are few and far between. Around 1947, Valco contracted with Gibson to produce some Royal Aire flat top acoustics, based on the LG-3. Here, Valco / National used a National neck with its shield logo plate engraved to read Royal Aire.

Vintage

Price: $1,299.99 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌National Model 1008 Console 8 String Steel White, 1961

On April 14, 2020 /

From the early 1930s until the rise of Rock ‘n Roll, steel guitars like this National Model 1008 Console 8 were very popular, and for novice players, often their first instrument. In fact, the very first production electric guitars were Electric Hawaiian steel models, and the first of those was almost certainly the 1932 Ro-Pat-In Steel. Ro-Pat-In quickly improved their name to ‘Rickenbacher’ and soon also introduced the very rare 1935 ‘Ken Roberts’ guitar, arguably the first production Electric Spanish style guitar. Rickenbacker at this time was also building metal parts for both National and DoBro.

Vintage

Price: $650.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌ Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak Parlor Guitar, 1920s

On April 7, 2020 /

Around the start of the twentieth century, Lyon & Healy were one of the larger musical instrument builders in the USA, with Washburn being one of their brands. This Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak parlor guitar, built in Chicago in the 1920s, is an example of the instruments available at that time. It features a ladder-braced Spruce top and Oak for the sides and back. The heavily V shaped neck with slotted peghead is likely Poplar, while the fingerboard is a dyed, hard and tight grained wood like Maple.

Vintage

Price: $999.99 CAD

This instrument has sold

SOLD!!! Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian Squareneck Guitar, 1935

On April 6, 2020 /

Built during the mid 1930s, the Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck guitar expressed the popularity of Hawaiian music and steel guitar. Oahu was perfectly placed as they were also a major music publisher. This Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck was likely built by Kay around 1935, and features a solid Spruce top, X-braced, with laminate Maple for the sides and back. The neck is Mahogany, with Rosewood used for the bridge and the bound fingerboard. The finish is Sunburst, executed in nitrocellulose lacquer, and sports an elaborate gold-coloured, stencil design on the top.

Vintage

Price: $1,599.99 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌ Maurer 551 by Larson Brothers. Steel String Guitar, late 1920s

On February 19, 2020 /

This Larson Brothers Maurer 551 dates to the late 1920s and uses an Auditorium sized body, 15 inches wide. As was often the case in the period, there is no serial number and records are scarce, so it is difficult to date exactly. The top is Spruce, the back and sides are Brazilian Rosewood, with a number of old repairs to both. The neck is mahogany, with Ebony used for the fingerboard and bridge. The scale length is a modern 25.6 inches, and the nut width a fairly wide 1.9 inches. The finish base is original but there are a number of touchups and some overspray.

Vintage

Price: $6,500.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌ National Style 97 Squareneck Tricone Surfer Girl Resophonic, 1938

On February 8, 2020 /

Here is a rarity – a National Style 97 Square neck Tricone with the Surfer Girl motif on a sandblasted and enameled nickel plated brass body. These were built in small numbers from 1936 to 1940. By 1941, the materiel demands for the burgeoning war brought production of resophonic guitars to a halt. The ‘B’ prefix in the serial of this guitar is said to first appear in 1938. This National Style 97 likely dates to 1938. This rare model uses a 12-fret square neck on nickel plated brass body, treated with sandblasting to create various scenes, mostly based on Hawaiian imagery. On this guitar, the scene is of woman surfing with a palm tree in the mid field and volcano in the distance.

Vintage

Price: $6,550.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

Chicago

❌SOLD❌ Royal Aire by National Solidbody Electric Guitar Sunburst, 1951

❌SOLD❌National Model 1008 Console 8 String Steel White, 1961

❌SOLD❌ Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak Parlor Guitar, 1920s

SOLD!!! Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian Squareneck Guitar, 1935

❌SOLD❌ Maurer 551 by Larson Brothers. Steel String Guitar, late 1920s

❌SOLD❌ National Style 97 Squareneck Tricone Surfer Girl Resophonic, 1938

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