Henry B. Mason CWM-4 Model Arch Top Mandolin, made by Gibson (1936), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top, mahagony neck with rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This CWM-4 is a Depression-era arch top F-hole mandolin built by Gibson for sale under the brand "Henry B. Mason", an obscure name used by the California-based Coast Wholesale company. These were offshoots of the better-known budget-oriented "Cromwell" line Gibson supplied to a number of different jobbers, themselves variations on Kalamazoo brand models. This CWM-4 is the same as the Cromwell GM-4 mandolin except for the stenciled headstock decoration. These generally sold in the $20.00 range in the later 1930s, some of the least expensive instruments Gibson ever offered. For all that it is quite attractive and functional, a very playable F-hole arched top mandolin more affordable than any Gibson-branded model.
This economy could be achieved because the top and back are "Arco-Arched", Gibson's term for wood pressed into shape instead of carved. The solid spruce top is heavily X-braced and reinforced from the underside, while the mahogany back has one sturdy cross brace straight across the middle for support. The finish is dark mahogany with an attractive sunburst on the top, more Gibson-like in appearance than many Kalamazoos. The top and back edges are bound in ivory Celluloid, as is the fingerboard, which has a distinctive center line inlay and large dots. The fittings are typical Gibson, with an elevated pickguard made of tortoise Celluloid, rosewood adjustable bridge, generic "clamshell" tailpiece and basic strip tuners. The FON (Factory Order Number) ink-stamped in this one is hard to read, but we can see the "B" suffix indicating it was built in 1936.
This is an nice playing mandolin and sounds quite good, with a tone surprisingly close to a Gibson F-hole model of the period. While lacking a carved top or adjustable truss rod, it is still built to Gibson's quality standards out of the same materials as the full-line instruments. It may be one of the best bargains Gibson offered in a depression-era mandolin, and remains so today!
Overall length is 25 3/4 in. (65.4 cm.), 10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm.) across at the widest point, and 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This mandolin is in very nice original condition, complete and unaltered with some fairly light wear overall. The original lacquer finish shows some typical checking, scuffs, dings, and dents but no really heavy wear. There are no notable repairs; the top shows a just a bit of sinkage around the bass side F-hole; many of these have a lot more deflection in this zone. We checked it over and the instrument is completely solid and actually a very good little player.
All the original hardware is intact with some general wear including the strip tuners, original bridge, pickguard, and even the tailpiece cover, so often lost along the way. Overall this is a very good-playing example of this rare 1930s Gibson-made instrument, an interesting variation on the Kalamazoo standard and a good-sounding authentic pre-war mandolin that remains a bargain, just like it was almost 90 years ago. Overall Excellent - Condition.
