|
|
Post by gaucho on Nov 12, 2012 2:36:56 GMT
 I knew about the Sears ones, but this was the 1st Slivertone I'd seen or heard of. |
|
|
|
Post by Jaco on Nov 12, 2012 6:19:29 GMT
Great photo! I've also heard of the Sears Sliver Tone, my cousin left me his before going off to Vietnam. I was 12 as I recall. Not knowing much I ruined it only to find out years later they became a kind of collectors item worth some real money. This one had the amp built into the case. I recall seeing Jimmy Page playing one.
Jaco
|
|
|
|
Post by steveparton on Nov 12, 2012 12:56:35 GMT
Super photo - is it Blind Arvella Grey ?
Best
Steve P
|
|
|
|
Post by DaveRed on Nov 12, 2012 13:10:45 GMT
It is Arvella Grey, probably playing at the Maxwell Street Flea Market in Chicago which was one of his favourite busking sites.
Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by andrewt on Nov 12, 2012 14:38:38 GMT
Very cool pic - that would look good on my wall.
I love the expression - a lot to read in that body language.
|
|
|
|
Post by gaucho on Nov 12, 2012 17:19:53 GMT
Yes it is Blind Arvella Grey at Maxwell St. I poached the photo off a discussion about getting a headstone for his unmarked grave. Jaco, Silvertone was a Wards brand (maybe not exclusively?) and Supertone was Sears. I don't know if the Sears Duolians were considered Supertones or not.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2012 17:27:13 GMT
Great pic. I'd like to see more like this.
And on behalf of everybody, welcome SteveParton.
TT
Looking again, it looks tiny like a parlour - or he's a big man!
|
|
|
|
Post by gaucho on Nov 12, 2012 17:36:35 GMT
If you are on Facebook, like the page "I Love National Guitars". I think Catfish Keith started it. Lotsa cool stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Nov 12, 2012 18:19:18 GMT
It is a great photo of Blind Arvella Gray on Maxwell Street with his 'National' Duolian.
It does not have Silvertone on the headstock, it has National. Even with this low resolution image, if you look carefully you can clearly see the shape of the National logo.
Shine On
Michael
|
|
|
|
Post by Mark Makin on Nov 12, 2012 19:05:21 GMT
Michael is totally correct. The National 'stickpin' logo was stamped from the same metal blank that Valco used to produce the Sears Silvertone logos. They just printed different designs on it. Sears had three logos that looked like this - one was black and silver with a spanish mandolin player and a treble clef on it. Another was black and silver with the word 'Artist' vertically down it and a third was made of yellow brass with the spanish mandolin player with lightning flashes on it.
The National ' stickpin' logo was used on Valco National lap steels like the Chicagoan and the Dynamic. It was also fitted on the front of the white resoglas acoustic resonator guitar called the 'Bluegrass 35' - similar to the red Supro Folkstar.
The Sears-branded Duolians were slightly different to regular Duolians in that they were always fitted with cheap Lyon and Healey-type flat tailpieces - the sort that crop up on early-Stella/Washburn type flat tops. This guitar obviously has the regular 'National' tailpiece.
Sears brands were 'Supertone' AND 'Silvertone'. Montgomery Wards sold Valco-made 'Airlines'
|
|
|
|
Post by gaucho on Nov 12, 2012 21:25:09 GMT
Good info! I was just repeating the original poster's comments about it being a Ward's Silvertone. I had never heard of Slivertone Duolian. I never saw headstock graphics like that either. Such interesting history National has!
|
|
|
|
Post by gaucho on Nov 12, 2012 23:05:35 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by oldnick on Nov 13, 2012 19:03:01 GMT
I had not come across Arvella Gray. Was he ever recorded
Nick
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Nov 13, 2012 19:24:21 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Nov 14, 2012 7:52:25 GMT
Shine On
Michael
|
|
