Vintage Weymann & Son Mandolute Curved-Back Mandolin Flame Maple - USA

This item up for bid is a rare Weymann & Son "Mandolute". This is a curved back mandolin with a spruce top, flame maple back and sides, a mahogany neck (17 frets) and what looks like an ebony fingerboard. The top, back and sides are all solid wood and this little mandolin was made in the USA, probably in the 1920s or 1930s.

For its age it is in pretty good shape. The tuners and tailpiece are original but I think the bridge is not. It has a lovely tone. It is pretty warm and full for being a mandolin and it has a fair amount of volume for a small instrument. The neck does a little more relief (forward bow) then would be ideal, but it is still easily playable with no buzz.

There are 3 cracks on the top as well as one crack on the back that have been professionally repaired. There is a small crack on the treble string side of the top between the neck and the pickguard that has not been repaired but it seems stable and does not move or open up. The seam on the back has a very slight crack but it to seams stable and internally there is a large reinforcement piece of wood over the whole back seam. Neither of the cracks were were not repaired make any sort of noise or distortion when playing it. There are also some minor cosmetic blems, but nothing that affects how it plays or sounds. 

I took a ton of photos, please check them out.

This is a sweet little instrument that was hand made with sold woods right here in the United States. After 80 years or more it still makes beautiful music. For the price this is probably one of the only instruments with this quality level of both workmanship and materials you can find, so don't pass it up.