Unlabelled Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Larson Brothers , c. 1915
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Item # 11694
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Unlabelled Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Larson Brothers, c. 1915, made in Chicago, natural varnish finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black tooled leather case.
This is a lovely and extremely well preserved example of the Larson Brothers' early 1910s work, which has been in a single family since the WWI era! In this period Carl and August Larson were at the leading edge steel-string flat-top design; Martin was still making pretty much exclusively gut string guitars. This is small "Standard" size 12-fret guitar of traditional design, 12 3/4" wide at the lower bout with a 24 1/2" scale neck, about average for the time. It carries no brand name or stamp, but its design and build characteristics mark it unmistakably as Carl and August Larson's work. This is cosmetically a medium-grade guitar, but built with the same high quality materials as the Larson's fancier products.
The back and sides are nicely grained Brazilian rosewood, with some colorful patterning on the back. The spruce top is X braced but not with the Larson's patented laminated design, just a standard single layer construction. The interior brace work is somewhat cruder than many of the brother's guitars but the top remains solid with no distortion after more than 100 years. The cosmetic features represent the "middle-of-the-line" grade of build for the Larsons, not as fancy as their deluxe products. The top, back, and sound hole are neatly bound in grained ivoroid and there is colored wood marquetry around the top edge and sound hole.
The mahogany neck has a fairly slim round profile with just a very subtle hint of a "V" spine. The bound ebony fingerboard has mixed pearl inlay, with small shaped pieces and dots intermingled. The headstock has a pearl doodad near the top and a noticeably off center pearl dot. The original tuners are the same Handel strips with ivoroid buttons used by Martin and Gibson, mounted in the 1910s "upside down" gear-up position.
The guitar bears no serial number or logo stamp; it is definitely the Larson brothers work. The style of tuner and general features suggest the mid 1910s, a supposition supported by the tooled leather case it still resides in. It comes from the original owner's family with a story of being played at War Bond rallies during the FIRST World War! This absolutely lovely little flat top that has survived well over 100 years in far finer condition than most.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar remains in unusually fine condition for its age. There is only very light wear overall, mostly some scratches and small dings and dents to the finish, with none of the heavy playwear often found on flat-tops of this vintage. There are some marks around the bridge where the original lifted off long ago. There are no cracks anywhere, very unusual for a lightly built flat top this old.
The guitar remains in nearly all original condition, with only the alterations needed to make it playable for the next century. The neck has been reset; The bridge is a reproduction in the Larson style. The original frets have been recrowned a bit, there is a bit of scarring around the nut where it was likely reglued. This is a lovely sounding guitar with a big tone that belies its size. It has apparently not been too much used since the second Wilson administration, a superb playable piece of history in the original (and amazingly well preserved) tooled leather case, with a new closure added. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a lovely and extremely well preserved example of the Larson Brothers' early 1910s work, which has been in a single family since the WWI era! In this period Carl and August Larson were at the leading edge steel-string flat-top design; Martin was still making pretty much exclusively gut string guitars. This is small "Standard" size 12-fret guitar of traditional design, 12 3/4" wide at the lower bout with a 24 1/2" scale neck, about average for the time. It carries no brand name or stamp, but its design and build characteristics mark it unmistakably as Carl and August Larson's work. This is cosmetically a medium-grade guitar, but built with the same high quality materials as the Larson's fancier products.
The back and sides are nicely grained Brazilian rosewood, with some colorful patterning on the back. The spruce top is X braced but not with the Larson's patented laminated design, just a standard single layer construction. The interior brace work is somewhat cruder than many of the brother's guitars but the top remains solid with no distortion after more than 100 years. The cosmetic features represent the "middle-of-the-line" grade of build for the Larsons, not as fancy as their deluxe products. The top, back, and sound hole are neatly bound in grained ivoroid and there is colored wood marquetry around the top edge and sound hole.
The mahogany neck has a fairly slim round profile with just a very subtle hint of a "V" spine. The bound ebony fingerboard has mixed pearl inlay, with small shaped pieces and dots intermingled. The headstock has a pearl doodad near the top and a noticeably off center pearl dot. The original tuners are the same Handel strips with ivoroid buttons used by Martin and Gibson, mounted in the 1910s "upside down" gear-up position.
The guitar bears no serial number or logo stamp; it is definitely the Larson brothers work. The style of tuner and general features suggest the mid 1910s, a supposition supported by the tooled leather case it still resides in. It comes from the original owner's family with a story of being played at War Bond rallies during the FIRST World War! This absolutely lovely little flat top that has survived well over 100 years in far finer condition than most.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar remains in unusually fine condition for its age. There is only very light wear overall, mostly some scratches and small dings and dents to the finish, with none of the heavy playwear often found on flat-tops of this vintage. There are some marks around the bridge where the original lifted off long ago. There are no cracks anywhere, very unusual for a lightly built flat top this old.
The guitar remains in nearly all original condition, with only the alterations needed to make it playable for the next century. The neck has been reset; The bridge is a reproduction in the Larson style. The original frets have been recrowned a bit, there is a bit of scarring around the nut where it was likely reglued. This is a lovely sounding guitar with a big tone that belies its size. It has apparently not been too much used since the second Wilson administration, a superb playable piece of history in the original (and amazingly well preserved) tooled leather case, with a new closure added. Overall Excellent Condition.