Marquette by Lyon & Healy Parlor Guitar pre-1905 Natural

Lyon & Healy made Marquette parlor guitar. Old and showing its age, but somewhat gracefully. All original except new tuning machines (I will include the original ones) and an endpin pickup installed. Plays quite well for its size and age. Some wear on bottom frets but still a long way to go before new frets are needed. Has what I consider a real bluesy quality to it. Marquette Healy was Patrick Healy’s son and would at one time be President of the company (of course the name "Washburn" comes from the middle name of George Washburn Lyon). Lyon & Healy started making steel string guitars around the 1800s. I don't know when this one was made though the serial number is 184,935 placing it before 1905. This has the deluxe metal tailpiece that cost an extra 25 cents at the time. Solid spruce top with nice age, back and sides made out what looks like to me light wood stained and painted to look like Brazilian Rosewood (it seems they did this back then). The Faux work is very convincing. Some type of rosewood fretboard with very attractive inlay (missing the inlay piece closest to the soundhole). The back of the guitar has a small non structural crack in it and one brace is missing – the one on the back under the soundhole. But the guitar is strung to pitch with steel strings and seems quite solid - indeed feels built like a tank. The interior braces are very solid. See pictures for cosmetics. No case but will be packed professionally for shipping. A nice piece of history that shows why replicas of it are so popular today.