Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, probably Harmony, c. 1920, made in Chicago, faux rosewood and natural varnish finish, spruce top, birch body, brown chipboard case.
A typical "catalog" guitar of the type commonly sold by jobbers, retailers, and mail order houses like Sears, Roebuck & Co. all over the US in the first quarter of the 20th century. This is a fairly elaborate instrument of its type with colored wood marquetry around the top and soundhole and celluloid binding top and back. A very nicely executed faux rosewood finish adorns the back and sides and the back has an extra layer of marquetry around the edge as well as a backstrip. The fingerboard is genuine rosewood with better quality fretwork than many of these instruments. This is an original steel-string instrument with a tailpiece and floating bridge.
There is no brand name or markings, but the guitar appears to be a product of one of the various Chicago factories, most likely the original Harmony company. It is very similar to the "Stella" brand guitars marketed by the Oscar Schmidt company of Jersey City, and is quite loud with the dry, woody sound associated with early country blues recordings. This is the sort of guitar commonly seen in period pictures of country and blues artists from the 1920's, and is especially similar to the instrument pictured with Blind Lemon Jefferson in the much-reproduced Paramount catalog photograph.
Overall length is 36 5/8 in. (93 cm.), 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/4 in. (616 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/8 in. (48 mm.).
Very good playing condition; several repaired back and side cracks and has had a neck set and some beneficial fretwork. An excellent and supremely authentic instrument for early fingerstyle blues and similar styles. Very Good + Condition.
