Lyon & Healy Style B #821, ca. 1919. $2,300.
Here's a splendid example of the midline Style B carved-top acoustic mandolin
from Lyon & Healy of Chicago, among the finest carved mandolins ever
produced.
The most likely date for this mandolin seems to be 1919. The pickguard bears the 11-12-18 patent date and a cutout for the soundhole. It has a stairstep headstock and a pull-out knee rest, and the earlier 13.875" scale length. It was played regularly in a mandolin orchestra from 2016 to 2019; before that it was dormant for decades.
Unfortunately it suffered a scratch on the top from an accident during an orchestra rehearsal. The top has been touched up in the area of the scratch, but it's still noticeable. There's another light scratch and two surface marks on the treble bout, between the neck and the point, and really no other significant marks anywhere. Orange label is clean and bright. Elaborate tailpiece is fully intact and functional. The tailpiece cover is nice and shiny and the base looks like it just came off the bench, although curiously it has neither a "PAT. APLD. FOR" nor a patent date stamp.
Strung with La Bella flatwounds, it has the typical dry yet sweet Lyon & Healy tone prized by players of classical and Italian popular music, and is ideal for use in a mandolin orchestra. The neck is absolutely straight, and it plays easily, with comfortable action.
Spruce top; gorgeous 1-piece flame maple back and sides; mahogany neck; ebony bridge; vulcanized fiber pickguard and neck center strip. Single-ply white binding on back; double-ply white/black binding on top and soundhole, with additional triple-ply black/white/black soundhole ring. 13.875-inch scale extended fretboard with 24 frets. All hardware is original as far as I can tell. Original green-lined hardshell case in excellent condition; silk hinge covers are intact. Case exterior has some light marks and a few worn spots in the black fabric cover, but is remarkably clean overall.
See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. $2,300 plus shipping. 48-hour approval period.
The most likely date for this mandolin seems to be 1919. The pickguard bears the 11-12-18 patent date and a cutout for the soundhole. It has a stairstep headstock and a pull-out knee rest, and the earlier 13.875" scale length. It was played regularly in a mandolin orchestra from 2016 to 2019; before that it was dormant for decades.
Unfortunately it suffered a scratch on the top from an accident during an orchestra rehearsal. The top has been touched up in the area of the scratch, but it's still noticeable. There's another light scratch and two surface marks on the treble bout, between the neck and the point, and really no other significant marks anywhere. Orange label is clean and bright. Elaborate tailpiece is fully intact and functional. The tailpiece cover is nice and shiny and the base looks like it just came off the bench, although curiously it has neither a "PAT. APLD. FOR" nor a patent date stamp.
Strung with La Bella flatwounds, it has the typical dry yet sweet Lyon & Healy tone prized by players of classical and Italian popular music, and is ideal for use in a mandolin orchestra. The neck is absolutely straight, and it plays easily, with comfortable action.
Spruce top; gorgeous 1-piece flame maple back and sides; mahogany neck; ebony bridge; vulcanized fiber pickguard and neck center strip. Single-ply white binding on back; double-ply white/black binding on top and soundhole, with additional triple-ply black/white/black soundhole ring. 13.875-inch scale extended fretboard with 24 frets. All hardware is original as far as I can tell. Original green-lined hardshell case in excellent condition; silk hinge covers are intact. Case exterior has some light marks and a few worn spots in the black fabric cover, but is remarkably clean overall.
See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. $2,300 plus shipping. 48-hour approval period.