I know of no one. I just need to get a handle on the things I do collect...

Greetings Collectors,

I've been busy of late as I lost my dad a couple weeks ago and there has been much to do. Even when one knows that old people (or young people) especially one who has been so sick for a couple of years, will not live forever, you're never ready when that day comes. I'm unsure of what the subconscious is thinking when the thoughts of what else can be done to prolong life even when you know the end is nigh and they are probably going to be much better off. I guess it just boils down to not wanting to let them go. My dad was born in 1928 and got to celebrate one last birthday on the 6th of Feb and did so in grand style. We went out to eat at his favorite restaurant and had a couple beers the last time I saw him. I also got to share the instrument pictured here with him ("born" one year before him in 1927) after I had the restoration done. (new calfskin head, new bridge and a lite cleaning)

This was a piece he had taken in pawn back in the 70's and had given to me just last year. When he and his brother sold the two pawn shops in the early 80's they divided up the last of the items between them. Lots of really neat stuff. This is one of the items my dad ended up with.

This is a "custom" Ludwig banjo-ukulele that was "top of the line" in its day because of the 24 carat gold plated ornamentation. It was made by the Ludwig company out of Chicago IL in 1927. It sold for $50 new and $12.50 extra for the shaoed velvet lined custom case. This was a huge amount of money back in the day. The other base models of that year were $18.50. Again a fairly large sum of that time. I just wish I knew who had the piece "custom made" for them. If I were to give it a "numismatic" grade, I would say MS-67+.

I have had the instrument appraised (over the net) by George Gruhn of Gruhn guitars out of Nashville Tn. and in his appraisal he said that "I've never seen a Ludwig banjo-uke with this degree of ornamentation" and he appraised the piece "conservatively" at mid single digit 4-figures.

Just another collectible to go with all of the rest of my insane collections. Like I really need to start collecting something else. I think that this particular collection will have only one piece in it. I thought it to be a very cool piece and wanted to share it with everyone.

I hope all is well with you all. I am almost caught up on all of your very interesting journals. I am happy to see that the hobby still has a very strong heartbeat. It's a shame that our own "heartbeats" will one day cease to beat. The silver to gold ratio continues to drop and now sits at 41.388 It was only back in Sept. 2010 that it took 62 ounces of silver to equal one ounce of gold. Now it takes only a little over 41 ounces. FYI silver is still a "screaming" buy.

Happy Collecting!

WKF

Happ