Stella Model Flat Back, Bent Top Mandolin, made by Oscar Schmidt, c. 1930, made in Jersey City, NJ, brown lacquer finish, birch body, celluloid fingerboard.
A very light and resonant flat back pre-war mandolin, this relatively flashy Stella (from Oscar Schmidt in Jersey City) has a white pearloid fingerboard with gold sparkle dot markers and a top and soundhole bound in multi-layered celluloid with gold sparkle "pearl" insets. Carved ebony bridge with bone saddle, bone nut, impressed "Stella" logo on headstock.
The same instrument has also been seen branded "Sovereign", and matching guitars and ukes exist with both brands. An inexpensive but visually striking and well-made instrument, this is a real "Depression Moderne" classic.
Overall length is 24 in. (61 cm.), 9 1/16 in. (23 cm.) wide, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm.) in depth at side. Scale length is 13 1/4 in. (336 mm.).
Excellent overall and all original; one back crack, otherwise undamaged and unaltered. The instrument has lost a bit of its visual sparkle�the gold trim has greened out along the edges and the paint in the "Stella" logo is darkened, but it still looks very nice.
Plays and sounds great and is quite loud, the perfect mandolin for hokum string band music�where the "Stella" name really means something! Excellent Condition.
