'The Gibson' 1915 Style U Harp Guitar and 1915 case
1915 Gibson Style U Harp Guitar. According to the previous owner, her grandfather had purchased this instrument new in 1915. One of the only possessions he kept as he fled Oklahoma during the 'Dust Bowl' and 'The Great Depression'.
1908 F-3 Mandolin, harp guitar tuning key (front) and original signed Lloyd Loar Gibson stock certificate (1920).
10 Sub-Bass Strings Complemented with Regular 6 String Guitar Neck (Sub-bass strings tuned A# - G# and regular 6-strings E A D G B E)
Tuning key used for sub-bass strings
Early photo of Gibson factory workers. The middle frame is for a harp guitar. Original photo from 1994 press release kit for the book, 'Gibson Guitars 100 Years of an American Icon'.
Elevated Celluloid Pickguard
Original 1907-08 poster and postcard of the University of Oregon Glee and Mandolin Clubs. Featuring an early Gibson Style U Harp Guitar.
Gibson Style U Harp Guitar, 1915 bridge. Note the curves along base-side contoured to compensate the curves of the carved spruce top.
Hand-penciled 'W 32' on foot of bridge.
Hand-penciled mark on base of bridge (sub-tone string-side).
#16132 dates this piece to 1915.
Harp Guitar being played on Dec. 28, 1944.
Celluloid Tailpiece with Wooden End-pins to Attach Strings
1924 Gibson Catalog O description of Style U Harp Guitar.
My Black Gibson 1915 Style U Harp Guitar (lft) next to my Gibson 1917 Mahogany Style U Harp Guitar.
1915 Gibson Style U Harp Guitar.
12 sub-bass tuners and 1 set original strip tuners complement this beautiful 1915 piece.
1912 Catalog H Illustration of Harp Guitar
1912 Catalog H Description of Harp Guitar.
1912 Catalog H Tuning of Harp Guitar.
Gibson 1915/1917 Style U Harp Guitars
1910 Catalog G Photo of Gibson Harp Guitars and Mandolins (note the caption 'Every One A Gibsonite' was used up until the 1930's)
This site will continually be updated over the next few years. Over the long-haul, I have managed to collect lots of Gibson pre-war ephemera and historical items. I
really enjoy adding pieces and hope that each item will help to shed more light on the early years of Gibson......in the meantime, enjoy the site and let me know what you think in the comment
section!
Keep checking back. This is a busy year for me and as I get back to myinflightschedule
(April 8, 2015) I will have A LOT of new prewar items from my collection that I will be sharing........also, don't forget to post a note in the Guestbook about your thoughts on this site!