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Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar
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Subject: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,Mary Katherine Date: 30 Nov 11 - 04:47 PM An incredibly lovely guitar - a real treasure. But I don't believe that *any* guitar, no matter its history, is worth this kind of money. http://www.guitarsite.com/news/acoustic_guitar/Mark-Twains-1835-Martin-Guitar-Valued-Over-15-million/ |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Jack Campin Date: 30 Nov 11 - 05:12 PM Did he ever record on it for Edison? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Little Hawk Date: 30 Nov 11 - 05:32 PM Yikes! Nylon strings on that one, I presume? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,Songbob Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:24 PM Gut strings at the time, Nylgut now, I'm sure. And is 1835 right? I thought 1843 was the established founding date for Martin's factory. And most of those really early ones had the "Stauffer Scroll" headstock, though some didn't. This is an example of three things: Age Rarity Celebrity Owned That's why it's priced at that price, and more power to the seller if he gets it. By the way, some of those Martins from that era are killer guitars. I know this for a fact, since I have one on long-term loan. In fact, I think I'll dig it out and play it some tonight. It's in a closet, and shouldn't be. Bob |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Joe Offer Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:30 PM Now, that's information that's too valuable to lose. I've always wished I could play a Martin guitar for the "willing women of the West," but I'm afraid I have to stun them with my a cappella voice singing camp songs. I'm going to copy-paste the article. Source: guitarsite.com Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar Valued at Over $15 millionMark Twain, the literary legend who left us with invaluable amazing stories, has left us his Martin 2 ½-17 guitar which is valued at over $15 Million. If you could travel back in time to 1835, when C.F. Martin Sr. created these Martin 2 1/2-17 guitars, this $15 Million dollar Martin Guitar will only cost you $10 - brand new. But since you can't, you'll just have to imagine the background story of this historic guitar. Mark Twain bought the 1835 Martin guitar used, shortly after the Civil War started around 1861. The date of the guitar's creation coincided not only with his birth, but also with Haley's Comet's appearance. And to add a chill to that little bit of information, Twain's death also coincided with the re-appearance of the same comet, 75 years later. Mark Twain "gigged" with his 1835 Martin extensively as a singer guitarist, bringing it along to his many travels. Like the main protagonist of his popular novel: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain traveled far and wide, often with only his 1835 Martin, paper and ink to accompany him. Twain played his 1835 Martin guitar frequently for friends and fellow travelers. He entertained the miners of the infamous California's Gold Rush and the newspaper men of the Nevada Territories. He also rocked the joint with passengers aboard the clipper ship Ajax bound for the Hawaiian Islands. But as many guitarists would approve, Twain prefers to play his Martin guitar for the "willing women of the West." Just before Twain died in 1910, the 1835 Martin guitar was entrusted to Colonel John Hancock III, who is the great grandson of American founding father John Hancock, who aside from being a U.S. Cavalryman and a horse breeder, he was a guitar collector. The guitar remained in the Hancock family for four generations until it was purchased by renowned guitar collector Hank Risan in the mid-nineties. Risan then worked with UC Berkeley to authenticate the guitar and created the Mark Twain Project. The guitar came with its original coffin case and had a genuine shipping label dated 1866, with "Mr. M. Twain, New York." written on it by the hands of the legendary novel writer himself. Risan also found an unpublished poem written by Mark Twain entitled "Genius". Risan then established the online exhibition "The Private Life of Mark Twain" at the Museum of Modern Instruments (MoMI) with both the guitar and poem showcased. Now that is a little story you can brag to your non guitar toting friends about. |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Jack Campin Date: 30 Nov 11 - 07:02 PM Do we have any idea at all what sort of style he would have played in? Even what tuning he used? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Greg B Date: 30 Nov 11 - 07:10 PM It's had three new bodies and five new necks since Mark Twain owned it... |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Amos Date: 30 Nov 11 - 08:44 PM I would love to hear the old man or learn what he sang in his various encampments. Wow. A |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 01 Dec 11 - 05:32 PM The grandfather's axe paradox |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker Date: 01 Dec 11 - 08:44 PM it's very fortunate for current valuation that Twain never diminished it's all original condition with a custom hot rod paint job or installing a pickup and whammy bar.... |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Bobert Date: 01 Dec 11 - 08:57 PM Well, if any of ya'll see Mr. Clemens tell him I'll trade him my Oscar-Shmidt resonator straight up... At least mine plays real music... His??? I doubt it... Okay, I'll throw in my #93 Superman comic book... B~ |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Big Al Whittle Date: 02 Dec 11 - 01:59 AM 15 million! If you pay that, Tom Sawyer coming...! He's very arch and ponderous...isn't he? Most places, they'd have told him to shut up long before he finished his story about the frog. I can imagine him knowing the Burl Ives songbook backwards and everyone saying, oooh! that's nice.....! (and thinking why doesn't he play it forwards, and belt up! I wish I could do a John Belushi on him, but that's Mark Twain...) I gave my love a cherry...! |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: EBarnacle Date: 02 Dec 11 - 10:03 AM Fascinating article. The closest it comes to addressing the question of matter transportation and duplication is the brief discussion of the German Selbst and Gleich. If a living being is disassembled, transmitted and then reassembled at a remote location, is this the same person? The question is recognized in many sci-fi stories. "Beam me up, Scotty." |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,Dave in Michigan Date: 02 Dec 11 - 11:03 AM "Selbst and Gleich" Presumably contemporaries of Lieber and Stoller. "Das is mir ganz gleich". |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Big Al Whittle Date: 02 Dec 11 - 12:00 PM well they always looked the same to me after they'd been beamed up. |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: stevi Date: 02 Dec 11 - 04:29 PM Isn't it marvellous how something has become so valuable and desirable as the result of a man's mind and what he made of life at the time he lived? Where is Woody Guthrie's guitar now and how much would that be worth me thinks! |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: gnu Date: 02 Dec 11 - 04:37 PM Only $15M? I'd make an offer but seeing as it's not original, I'll have to pass. |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,999 Date: 02 Dec 11 - 05:49 PM "I thought 1843 was the established founding date for Martin's factory." From Martin's site: 'More than 200 guitars are made at Martin each day, many more than when the company first opened in New York City in 1833 (it moved to Nazareth in 1839).' |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: Greg F. Date: 02 Dec 11 - 05:58 PM Since Clemens was BORN in 1835, presumably the guitar had a prior owner. Wonder who the heck THAT was? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,songbob Date: 02 Dec 11 - 08:06 PM 1833! D'oh! I supposedly knew that, too, It even says it on my 0-18 and D-28. Bob |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,Neil D Date: 02 Dec 11 - 10:24 PM From: Greg F. Date: 02 Dec 11 - 05:58 PM Since Clemens was BORN in 1835, presumably the guitar had a prior owner. Wonder who the heck THAT was? Pete Seeger? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 02 Dec 11 - 10:32 PM Mudcat - how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways:
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST, Eb Date: 02 Dec 11 - 10:52 PM Maybelle's guitar Monroe's Mandolin Hank's Coupe de Ville How much will they be worth in a hundred years? Question 2: Who and where are the iconic figures today that will go down in similar history? |
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Subject: RE: Mark Twain's 1835 Martin Guitar From: GUEST,999 Date: 02 Dec 11 - 11:04 PM IMO, Eb, they're in Austin, TX. |
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