very old Ah Tau Kam Ukulele (1920s?) "discovered" in excellent condition

rainbow21

rainbow21

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So a friend whose mother grew up in Hawaii told me she had an old beat up cheap ukulele somewhere in her house that her mother had. She finally brought it over and it appears to be a Hawaii made uke, maybe from the 1920s with a "Kam" label on the headstock. It is in very good condition without cracks in the wood and some small finish fractures/scratches on the back. (Also tells me that the SF Bay Area is environment friendly to ukes since it had been sitting in the cheap unpadded case likely for decades).

Internet search reveals it to be made by Ah Tau Kam. Little is listed for him. One tidbit is Sam Kamaka visited him when learning his craft. From a website called "Lardy's Ukulele Database":
"Worked with Sam Chang, Bergstrom Music and possibly the Summers Bros. Also reputedly taught Sam Kamaka snr. luthiery. He was producing from about 1900 to his death in 1930. I have seen him use the brand name Na-Lei."

Looking for more info on this if you have it. Also, can anyone give a guess on its value? I assume it is quite collectible and do not believe the owner has given any thought to selling it, but may be interested if more info is available.

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Wow, it's in very good condition. Did you get to play it?
 
It is very enjoyable to play. After tuning, I realized it was tuned a step up to aDF#B and now have it tuned there. The uke is very light and has a very very bright high end sound. I compared it to a Kiwaya and a KoAloha soprano and it is all brightness (with equal volume) and fun and happy! I assume these are fifty to 90 year old strings. There is no balancing mellow sound coming from this uke.
 
From when I was looking into mint vintage, non-Martin and non-Kamaka seemed to be in the range of $500-$1,200 with $500-1,000 being individual sellers and $800-$1,500 being retailers. Just my observation from watching here, flea market, eBay, reverb etc (just like everyone else with UAS).
 
Received an email response from Jim Tranquada, coauthor of "The 'Ukulele, a History":

Kam is famous for his obscurity--the phrase most commonly associated with him is "not much is known about him." I haven't done very much research myself; he was born in Honolulu in 1892, the son of Chinese immigrants. According to the 1940 census, he had only an eighth grade education. I haven't had any luck in finding him in early Honolulu directories (although I haven't mounted a major search}; he shows up in the 1930 census as a cabinetmaker, and in the 1940 census as a curio maker, in both instances working from home at 634 6th Avenue. His 1972 obituary in the Star-Bulletin identifies him as a retired ukulele maker. He's buried in the National Cemetery in Punchbowl.

I've only seen two of his instruments, and both look like they are from the 1920s and 1930s. It seems unlikely that we would have been making 'ukulele in 1900, when he was just seven years old. As for prices. I'm sadly ignorant about such things, since I don't collect 'ukulele.
 
That is the nicest one I've seen pictures of. Are you going to show it off in the Bay Area? I'd love to hold it and have a strum or two, I'd bring one of my one hundred year old Martins to compare it to.
Great attics find.
 
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PetalumaRescuke said:
That is the nicest one I've seen pictures of. Are you going to show it off in the Bay Area? I'd love to hold it and have a strum or two, I'd bring one of my one hundred year old Martins to compare it to.
Great attics find.
Click to expand...

Had not thought of doing this since it is not mine. But owner is also not a player. How does one "show it off"? Are you down the peninsula on occasion?
 
I misread, thinking you had it in your possession and would "showing it off" when you take it to a gathering, kanikapila or jam. assuming that as UU members you probably go to something like that.
I seldom go father than the City these days
 
PetalumaRescuke said:
I misread, thinking you had it in your possession and would "showing it off" when you take it to a gathering, kanikapila or jam. assuming that as UU members you probably go to something like that.
I seldom go father than the City these days
Click to expand...

I do have it currently. I go to a monthly meetup, but other participants do not seem to have much interest in the UAS side of the uke world. I think this forum has many of the diehards on neat stuff like this.
 
rainbow21 said:
Received an email response from Jim Tranquada, coauthor of "The 'Ukulele, a History":

Kam is famous for his obscurity--the phrase most commonly associated with him is "not much is known about him." I haven't done very much research myself; he was born in Honolulu in 1892, the son of Chinese immigrants. According to the 1940 census, he had only an eighth grade education. I haven't had any luck in finding him in early Honolulu directories (although I haven't mounted a major search}; he shows up in the 1930 census as a cabinetmaker, and in the 1940 census as a curio maker, in both instances working from home at 634 6th Avenue. His 1972 obituary in the Star-Bulletin identifies him as a retired ukulele maker. He's buried in the National Cemetery in Punchbowl.

I've only seen two of his instruments, and both look like they are from the 1920s and 1930s. It seems unlikely that we would have been making 'ukulele in 1900, when he was just seven years old. As for prices. I'm sadly ignorant about such things, since I don't collect 'ukulele.
Click to expand...

So I have the same Information as above, But to add, in 1917, on Ah Tau Kam's WWI Registration card, His list employer was M. Nunes, and Occupation "Ukulele Maker", coincidental " Manuel Nunes (Manuel Nunes & Sons) stopped production of ukuleles around 1917.

Also, Ah Tau Kam, enlisted in the Military from 01Jun 1918 - 31Mar 1919.

SZara
 
If it is that old then someone must have upgraded it with new tuners, a new case, and fresh strings. They don't look period correct at all. The way the fretboard is attached to the body looks like other Hawaiian ukes like Kamaka from the early 1900s that I have seen. There is a site with pictures of many old ukes for comparison but can't remember the name of it right now.
 
merlin666 said:
If it is that old then someone must have upgraded it with new tuners, a new case, and fresh strings. They don't look period correct at all. The way the fretboard is attached to the body looks like other Hawaiian ukes like Kamaka from the early 1900s that I have seen. There is a site with pictures of many old ukes for comparison but can't remember the name of it right now.
Click to expand...

I googled Martin ukes 1920s and the tuners and strings look exactly like those pictured here. The strings also look similar to photos and remind me of the color and texture of gut strings on tennis rackets more than modern smoother strings. The case feels the most authentic as there is zero padding and feels like you could tear through it with your hands.

The owner is about 70 years ago and says it has been on a shelf for decades. I believe she says she has no memory of her mother playing it so it must have sat in the case for a long time, lending more credence that this is an original from around 100 years ago. Sam Kamaka was supposed to have learned some of uke building from Ah Tau Kam.

Link to 20s Martin photos:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...no-uke-1920s-cons-head-front.jpg&action=click
 
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Holy smokes. That's gorgeous!
 
You could contact Shawn Yakavone at UkuleleFriend.com

He has a big interest in old historic and obscure ukuleles. Even has a museum of significant ones. He has a FaceBook page as well.
 
So this may or may not help... Here is one of my Kamaka's with a very similar Head stock Label. This may help fine tune the timeline...
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That's a sweet looking little uke!
 
Why not send a few pics to people at Kamaka and see if anyone there recalls anything!

Exceptional condition of its age and SF Bay Area must have great even humidity for it to survive so well. It a,so speaks to how well built this ukulele is made.

Terrific find and looks to be a great treasure to enjoy. Don’t we all dream of stumbling on a Uke or guitar like this.
 
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