Gibson H-1 Model Carved Top Mandola, c. 1918, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, brown varnish finish, birch body, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex original hard shell case.
A great-sounding brown-topped H-1 with a dark woody tone and plenty of volume. Gibson mandolas are fairly rare; even in the 1910's it was fairly rare to see one outside the confines of the mandolin orchestras of the period.
This is an excellent-sounding instrument for a variety of styles, some of which are still waiting to be discovered!
Overall length is 28 1/8 in. (71.4 cm.), 11 1/8 in. (28.2 cm.) width, and 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 16 in. (406 mm.).
All original, except pickguard missing (looks to have disintegrated long ago). One repaired top crack in pickguard area, and appears to have had some French polish to back and sides some time back.
Includes original case in good condition. A nice gigging mandola. Very Good + Condition.
