Gorgeous Ukulele of Mystery

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timetravelmusic

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I bought a pile of old instruments today, including a 1920s Hohner reed saxophone, a Ludwig & Ludwig slide whistle, and an utterly foxy old soprano uke. Rope binding on front, back and soundhole ring. Herringbone-ish inlay up the fretboard. Weird peghead shape. Notably arched back. I'm guessing 1920s, but do not recognize the maker. It has no maker marks. IMG_3351.jpgIMG_3352.jpg Does anybody recognize it?
 
This looks like an echo brand uke that was made in Hawaii In the 1920's and 30's. There is one like it on the ukulele hall of fame website.
 
timetravelmusic said:
I bought a pile of old instruments today, including a 1920s Hohner reed saxophone, a Ludwig & Ludwig slide whistle, and an utterly foxy old soprano uke. Rope binding on front, back and soundhole ring. Herringbone-ish inlay up the fretboard. Weird peghead shape. Notably arched back. I'm guessing 1920s, but do not recognize the maker. It has no maker marks. View attachment 107525View attachment 107526 Does anybody recognize it?
Click to expand...

Now we know where Mainland got the idea. :)
 
Hey, great. I'm going with the Hawaiian Mahogany Company, or its successor, as maker. Thank you very much!
 
That's a very cool old find! Congratulations!

Can you tell if it has the patented "echo" device under the top as Gryphon describes?
 
The back of this ukulele doesn't show the heal cap treatment common to Island made ukuleles of that time. I'm thinking Chicago made.
 
OhioBelle: definitely does not have that funky Echo device. Not does it have the deep body.
Spongeuke: it does not have a heel cap. The front, back and soundhole rope binding plus herringbone-ish inlay up the fingerboard really looks like Hawaiian Mahogany Co. ukes. My default for ukes (or guitars) (or banjos) that I can't ID is Chicago: Harmony, Kay, Regal etc. But this one just doesn't look Chicago to me. Check out its weird headstock shape.
 
I have two ukes with that type of headstock. The one on the left is a Wurlitzer. As the label shows Cincinnati-Chicago. The one on the right is labelled Super-tone, style 960(I think, faded).
My guess is Harmony, but definitely Chicago.

Headstock.jpg
 
timetravelmusic said:
Spongeuke: it does not have a heel cap.
Click to expand...
On Hawaiian made ukuleles the back has a short extension that covers the heel. They sometimes burned the Taboo mark inside or even on the head as mainland craftsmen were copying their work.
 
Last edited:
KamakOzzie. Thanks for the photos! Yes, that's the headstock. I would reasonably assume that Wurlitzer jobbed out the manufacturing of its ukes to Harmony-Regal-Chicago. Supertone, as Sears & Roebuck's pre-1940ish house brand, likely did the same. You're starting to convince me that mine is Chicago, not Hawaiian made. I can't quite tell from your photos though. Are yours Koa wood like mine? Did Harmony do rope binding or herringbone inlay, as on mine? Thank you!

Sponeuke: Interesting about the heel cap. I did not know that was a trademark of Hawaiian manufacture. Thank you!
 
timetravelmusic said:
KamakOzzie. Thanks for the photos! Yes, that's the headstock. I would reasonably assume that Wurlitzer jobbed out the manufacturing of its ukes to Harmony-Regal-Chicago. Supertone, as Sears & Roebuck's pre-1940ish house brand, likely did the same. You're starting to convince me that mine is Chicago, not Hawaiian made. I can't quite tell from your photos though. Are yours Koa wood like mine? Did Harmony do rope binding or herringbone inlay, as on mine? Thank you!
Click to expand...

Martin also made Wurlitzer "stencilled" ukes, but this is not one of those. The Super-Tone is plain mahogany with no binding at all. The Wurlitzer is ribbon mahogany. You can see the binding and rosette in the pictures. Plays great, sounds great and holds tuning with the best of them. The only thing I miss is there are NO fret markers.

KIMG0752.jpgKIMG0749.jpgKIMG0751.jpg
 
Bill KamakOzzie,
That's a foxy little uke! And it has the same funky headstock shape as mine, basically. If I'm not mistaken, I think mine is koa wood, though, not mahogany.
 
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