This is the original hand-made prototype of a most unusual mandolin, by one of the most respected and spectacular of the late 19th-century American builders, Joseph Bohmann of Chicago. Bohmann was noted for his spectacular guitars, harp-guitars, and mandolins, and was quite inventive, having taken out many patents for fretted instruments, some of them quite unusual. This mandolin appears to literally be the prototype for one of his designs, having a unique body shape giving extra access to high frets (a precursor to modern cutaway models), adjustable internal vibrating rods inside the body (visible through the soundhole), his unique signature double-partitioned tailpiece as seen on examples of his guitars, and more. The marquetry-bound spruce top is arched in both directions; the back and sides are of highly flamed maple; the ebony fingerboard has its original bar-type frets; the footed ebony bridge is original as well. There are two original paper labels inside the mandolin, both having PATAPL. FOR written in pencil. There are a few minor cracks and one back seam that were repaired in the distant past; all are extremely tight and solid, and the action and playability are perfect. Tuners are original. The ebony pickguard is inlaid into the top, flush with the surface. There is stamped, on the front of the peghead, THE LADYLIN with the "D" being upside down. A thread regarding a "production" version of this mandolin can be seen at..............
