Vintage GIBSON KALAMAZZO BLONDE ORIOLE MANDOLIN, 1940, Very good condition

Description

VINTAGE GIBSON KALAMAZOO BLONDE ORIOLE MANDOLIN
The instrument was purchased by Elmer Scholebo of Pinckneyville, IL sometime between 1941 - 1943. Mr Scholebo was killed in a car wreck in 1943. The mandolin passed onto his 11 year old son Tom who had no interest in music. Tom died last year at 85, and his widow asked me to sell it for her. She said he seldem even looked at it for all of those years. I put new strings on it since some were broken and others rusted. The only damage is the white side strip along the frets is missing and loose, {see pic}. Also the string cover guard has a worn spot or scratches. {see pic} The rest of the mandolin is in excellent shape. One appraiser suggested the numbers printed in the echo chamber [21.53 F] and a handwritten 22 suggested that the mandolin was 21 of a production set of 53, but someone on the assembly line corrected it to 22. The F means it was built in 1940. The Gibson Kamalazoo mandolin plant was opened in 1940 and closed in 1942 because of the war. The case is in poor shape having beem dragged all over the country for some 70 years. Will ship free only to locations in the USA.