As known by many collectors and dealers, Martin allowed employees to make a guitar or other instrument for their own use using the company’s wood supply and machinery. The employee were allowed to buy the wood, tuners and other supplies at cost but were not to put a Martin stamp or decal on the instrument. […]
Only one batch of OM-28 guitars was made in 1933 and here is example. It is the 6th last OM-28 made. Serial number 54566 was stamped on October 18, 1933, was out of the finish shop by January 26, 1934 and cleared final inspection on March 21, 1934. (The previous batch was stamped on October […]
This 19th century Martin guitar is more than a little interesting. A Martin 2-40 guitar is a very scarce model. A total of only thirteen were made between 1863 and 1883. The ledger books are missing from 1884 to 1898 but it is known four were ordered by C. A. Zoebisch & Sons between 1892 […]
Serial number 75371 is an “ordinary” 1940 Martin D-28 but comes with an extraordinary provenance! The guitar was stamped on June 21, 1940 and cleared final inspection on October 22 that year. If, as mentioned below Blue Sky Boys were based in Atlanta then this might be the D-28 that was ordered by Cable Piano […]
I was contacted by the owner of this guitar who didn’t happen to mention it had a dark top. It is an early dark top 00-18 and only three were made in 1935. Serial number 59059 appears in the production records as a 1935 “00-18 “0” Model”. An “0 Model” in Martin parlance would normally […]
It always adds to the story of a particular instrument when the purchase documents are available. Here is another great example. Serial number 73316 was stamped on September 22, 1939 and cleared final inspection on December 4 that year. As can be seen from the documents below this guitar was sold by Wilson Music Co. […]
Although this guitar is not particularly rare or in pristine condition, it is a perfect example of the emotional connection between an owner and his Martin guitar; almost a love story. I have included the owner’s story of his guitar: “I am wondering about my father’s 1945 D-18 with serial number 91476. From the serial […]
Henry Schatz first became known to C. F. Martin Sr. when they were both working for Johann Stauffer, the famous Viennese guitar maker, during the early 1820’s. Schatz emigrated to the United States some time between 1826 and 1830 and settled in Philadelphia. It is very likely that he encouraged Martin to emigrate to the […]
Most Martin guitars made between about 1885 and the beginning of serial numbers in 1898 are dated under the top of the guitar in pencil or blue crayon. Occasionally initials are also seen under the date. This guitar is one of the few instruments that are dated prior to 1885. In this case the guitar […]
The guitar is certainly one of the most pristine 1940 D-28 guitars extant. This guitar is still in the family of the original owner. The serial number of the guitar is 76288. It was stamped on October 23, 1940 and cleared final inspection on March 25, 1941. The tuners are Grover G-111 machines. The owner […]