citizen) patented a “new, original and ornamental design for the Mandolin” (Pat. The basic design is similar to other bowl-back mandolins of that period, but also shows off the skills of a very experienced luthier, with beautifully intricate inlay and purflings made of mother-of-pearl, abalone, and ebony, with a solid tortoiseshell bridge and inlaid pickguard. A fine example of his early work is the 1907 mandolin (shown here) that was sitting on a shelf in Epiphone’s Nashville headquarters. He established himself as a maker and importer of instruments, including Greek bouzoukis, mandolins, and even violins and cellos. The Stathopoulo family legacy starts in 1903, when 40-year-old Greek immigrant and luthier Anastasios Stathopoulo came to New York. A definitive link that establishes the real origins of another legendary one-of-a-kind instrument – the Roy Smeck Octochorda – in 2007, the House of Stathopoulo harp guitar was acquired by Dave Berryman, President of Gibson, from a collection owned by the late Jim Fisch, co-author of the book, Epiphone: The House of Stathopoulo. O ne of the rarest Epiphone instruments in the world, the House of Stathopoulo harp guitar lends a glimpse into a transitional era prior to the formation of what would become one of the most recognizable names in guitar history. Wondering about Lyon & Healy's other products? Especially band uniforms? Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post on that topic.The circa 1920 House of Stathopoulo harp guitar. Harp guitar photo courtesy of Epiphone. For more images from this catalog, check out the Galaxy of Images. This 1891-92 trade catalog, Catalogue of Musical Merchandise, by Lyon & Healy can be found in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library. "Arion" Guitar and "American Conservatory" Guitar. Catalogue of Musical Merchandise, 1891-92, page VI, The "American Conservatory" guitar, shown here, sold for $25. Though incredibly beautiful, this process of polishing wood tends to make it more susceptible to damage. The guitar is " French Polished," which is a process of using shellac to give it a glossy finish. The "American Conservatory" guitar is constructed of rosewood and Brazilian cedar and has a stripe down the back. According to the catalog, the guitar "will not crack, warp nor shrink," and Lyon & Healy states that because they believe in "its absolute correctness we are prepared to stake our reputation." The "Arion" guitar had a price range of $18.33 to $19.58. The "Arion" is made from several different types of wood, including solid mahogany, Brazilian cedar, and rosewood. Catalogue of Musical Merchandise, 1891-92, page IV, Violins.Īlso shown in this catalog are a number of guitars, two of which are the "Arion" and the "American Conservatory" guitars. The other violins, shown here, varied from $5 to $11. The price for this violin, as listed in the catalog, was $5.50. This technique was more popularly used on pottery in the nineteenth century. One of these, Number 51, shown here, is described as being decorated with "Decalcomania Pictures on Back, Dark Red Color, Highly Polished, Inlaid Edges." Decalcomania is the process of transferring engravings and prints onto three dimensional surfaces through the aid of a flexible transfer material. One particular page illustrates four fancy inlaid violins. This 1891-92 catalog entitled Catalogue of Musical Merchandise depicts violins, guitars, harps, mandolins, and other instruments. Today Lyon & Healy is known primarily for their harps, but the company's beginnings included sheet music, uniforms, and a variety of musical instruments. Located in the Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History Library are several catalogs by Lyon & Healy, a musical instrument manufacturing company.