Harwood Vintage 110 Year Old Brazilian Rosewood Guitar

Harwood Vintage Parlor Guitar

Vintage parlor guitar, early 1900's or late 1890s, in excellent shape, with aged Brazilian rosewood back and sides: looks, sounds, and plays like a dream.  The sustain and action are remarkable.  Serial Number is 28681.  There is a triangle on the inside, under and on top the neck block, with the words "Genuine Harwood Registered Trade Mark" inscribed.

Dimensions: Length: just under 36 inches.  Width at lower bout:  12 inches.  Depth at end pin:  3 1/2 inches.  Distance from fretboard (not fret) to low E at the 12th fret: 3/16! Set up low for finger style, but also a good flatpicking guitar. The nut is a wonderful 1 3/4" wide and is very easy to play. 

An antique collectible Harwood parlor guitar, with spruce top; solid aged Brazilian rosewood back and sides; ebony fingerboard; nice, intact binding, sound hole inlay, and back center stripe inlay.

The top has one crack I can find, going in about 2 inches from the edge toward the bridge.  The crack has been repaired and is stable with no give. I find no cracks in the back, nor are there any loose braces. As were almost all guitars at this time, it is ladder braced.   There was damage in one spot on the side, top, lower bout; repaired and very stable but visible as a dark area, without interruption of the grain, so none of the wood had to be replaced.  No apparent cracks in the bottom side.  Some scuff marks, small dents and scratches here and there, and some pick wear as photos will show.  I was told when I bought it that a luthier replaced the fingerboard with antique ebony; it is very nice and clean, dent-free, and shows no obvious sign it was replace.  Easy-playing, V-profile neck with very few marks or scratches.  Tuning buttons (ancient ivory or bone), bridge, and end pin appear to be original.  A strap button that looks antique was added to the back of the headstock.

Nice action (3/16 inch from fret board to low E at the 12th fret).  Nice, mellow tone with evenly balanced bass and treble.  Sweet!  Needs no work (from a functional perspective), no neck reset, no crack repair, no adjustments needed. A nice collectible antique in good - ready to play - shape.  Vintage ivory bridge pins.

Recently set up by noted luthier Robert Steinegger, who added a new bone nut and saddle for improved tone and playability.   A Gator hardshell case is included.

For those who want to know about Harwood guitars, as they are becoming more collectible, should read the following:

"Harwood was a brand name used by J.W. Jenkins Company, a Kansas City, MO musical instrument dealers and wholesalers. They introduced the Harwood brand in 1885, which they may not have actually manufactured. Circa 1895 they established a factory and produced guitars and mandolins under the Clifford and the Washington brand names. Some guitars marked "Harwood, New York" have been seen. It is not known if these are also by Jenkins. Mugwumps.com

"I wish we could see more of these Harwood instruments. They were built with nearly the same delicacy and craftsmanship as Martin guitars, and they sound great. This particular guitar is a concert size with rosewood back and sides. Until this one came along, all the Harwood guitars and mandolins I'd seen were mahogany instruments. They've also had that cool white celluloid brand at the end of the fingerboard." Frets.com

Great pictures of a parlor Harwood with fancy appointments, as well as pictures of Harwood Harp guitars and the Harwood fretboard label.  At: http://www.harpguitars.net/history/harwood.htm

"File contains an article about the end of the Jenkins Music Company, founded in 1878 as J. W. Jenkins & Sons by John Woodward Jenkins, in Kansas City. Description of its history (with other articles in the file as well), becoming the "largest retailer in the world at one point" in musical instrument sales, especially pianos and organs, until bought by the Schmitt Music company and having its name changed in 2000

"The Jenkins Music Company was founded in 1878 by John Woodward Jenkins, or John Jenkins (1827-1890), who is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri."  From Kansas City Library.