A collection of items from the workshop of the famed John D'Angelico, master luthier of archtop guitars. This lot includes three original molds for making John D'Angelico guitar bodies, two molds for two styles of mandolin, a neck blank used for sizing, a vintage hygrometer, a D'Aquisto prototype tailpiece, roughly 10 vintage photographs of John D'Angelico in his workshop (8 x 10''), and various D'Angelico ephemera.

John D'Angelico (1905-1964) opened his first store in Little Italy in New York in the 1930s. A craftsman who had learned the art of making instruments while apprenticed to his grand uncle, he painstakingly hand-made his guitars, and at the peak of his store's production about 35 guitars were made per year with the assistance of two other employees. Throughout the years D'Angelico came to be known as the master of making archtop guitars. In 1952, he took on a 17-year-old musician, James D'Aquisto, as an apprentice. D'Aquisto (1935-1995) would go on to preserve the D'Angelico legacy and become a talented and well-known luthier in his own right.

The molds in this lot were used by D'Angelico to give his distinctive archtop guitars their signature shape. He made every one of his guitars by hand, and throughout his career only made 1,164 guitars with the D'Angelico label. These molds are well-used. The outer frame of the backless mold has some cracks where the wood has been glued back together.

In this lot are vintage 8x10" photographs of John D'Angelico in his workshop, building guitars and using what could be these molds or at least ones very similar.

There are also molds for two different styles of mandolin - one for a-style, with a teardrop shape, and one for the more ornately curled f-style. D'Angelico made a limited number of hand crafted mandolins with these molds. The number is not clear, and is thought to be anywhere from under 100 to 300 total made.

There is also a vintage electric hygrometer used to measure the amount humidity in the air. Hygrometers are essential for the care of acoustic guitars, as they ensure that the environment that the guitars are kept in is not too dry and will not cause their wood to crack. Serial #2361, style is W2, manufactured by C.J. Tagliabue MFG Co. This hygrometer unfortunately no longer functions. The leather strap that would have been used to carry the hygrometer around has broken and the wood of the exterior has some nicks and scratches. Otherwise in good condition, and an interesting look back at the equipment that used to be used in the care of guitars.

An interesting part of this lot is an unfinished Mary Kaye neck blank .Mary Kaye (1924-2007) was a guitarist and singer who performed from the 1940s through the 1960s. She was a member, along with Frank Ross and Norman Kaye, of the Mary Kaye Trio. She often played D'Angelicos and this neck blank was made and sized specifically for her, and used to build her at least two D'Angelico guitars. The front of the blank has the D'Angelico logo laid into the headstock, the back of the headstock has the drawn guidelines for how the ornamental top should be carved, and "MARY KAYE" and "Double B.W." written on the back.

Also included is a D'Aquisto gold-plated Prototype tailpiece, two original business cards from John D’Angelico, a copy of a D'Angelico New York Price list, the original newspaper page containing the obituary of John D'Angelico from the New York Times, a copy of the book Acquired of the Angels by William Schmidt - which describes the work of D'Angelico and D'Aquisto - and a Xerox copy of the journal/ serial number ledger used by both Jimmy D'Aqusito and John D'Angelico.

When Jimmy D'Aquisto died in 1995, part of his remaining estate that was found in his workshop in Greenport, Long Island passed down to his ex-wife, and some went to his son, James D'Aquisto, Jr. The Jay family, previously the owners of Mandolin Bros on Staten Island, purchased this item from Mrs. Phyllis D'Aquisto in the summer or early fall of 1995.

Acceptable Condition. Vintage Mold.