ANALYSIS:

·        The first mandolin design − only one specimen of which is known − was replaced by the next patent design, so was long gone by the time of the catalog.

D41792, the refined scroll mandolin design patent, was granted on September 19, 1911.  It appears in the catalog as “patented”, therefore the catalog came after this date.  Pretty straightforward.

The Mando-Bass-Harp-Guitar is described in the catalog as “patent applied for.”  Thus we can assume the catalog dates between this patent’s filing and grant dates of March 29, 1912 and March 9, 1915. Note that for some reason this patent − originally called the “double bass guitar” − was not granted for almost three years.  

The catalog states that the elevated guard plate is “patent applied for.”  This is consistent with the previous bullet, but suggests a much tighter 11-month window between this patent’s filing and grant dates of June 8, 1912 and May 12, 1913.  

Red herring #1?: Shutt’s simpler, asymmetrical body design is represented in the catalog with a full line of completed mandolins and guitars.  There is no mention in the catalog of a patent unique to this design, yet one was filed on March 2, 1914 (and granted 3-1/2 months later).  As there is a known specimen dated “1913,” I believe that this design (and instruments) actually appeared soon after the scroll version of 1911, perhaps the following year.  I believe that Shutt decided long after the fact to file a patent for this design (note that he also altered the right upper bout flare from the actual asymmetrical instruments produced).  Why?  Because he was concurrently involved with a new design patent that he had apparently licensed to the Harmony Company in 1914 (D45968: see my main Shutt article).  This event may have prompted him to consider protecting his own earlier design, as both designs had archtops and f-holes.  Thus, this patent dates are unrelated to the catalog date.

Red herring #2?: The catalog refers to the new compensating bridge as both “patent applied for” and “patent bridge.”  Whatever the case, this would seem to put the catalog in or after 1914, when this patent was filed.  However, we’ve already established our provisional pre-May 1913 catalog date due to the pickguard dates.  Thus the bridge must have been ready to file before the pickguard was granted in May, 1913.  I have no answer; perhaps Shutt had begun his application process (or intent) for this invention earlier?  Regardless, either all the above entries are in error, or this one is.

The reference to a “patent tailpiece” could refer to something of Shutt’s that was submitted but not accepted, but I suspect it’s simply one of the earlier patented tailpieces.  You can see that he used the then-common “clamshell cover” tailpiece.  I believe this was the Wurlitzer patent 519,751 of 1894 (mandolin experts, please correct me if I’m wrong).

Finally – after I had provisionally narrowed down the timeframe to within the second half of 1912 and the first five months of 1913, I remembered the catalog cover stating "A-13."  Surely "A" signifies "catalog number one" and "13" denotes "1913"?

MY CONCLUSIONS:

• The first Shutt mandolins were built around the time of the December, 1909 patent filing for the first design.

• From early 1911 to early 1913, Shutt created his full line of instruments: all models in both body shapes. The scroll models came first, then the simpler models.

• His first and only catalog was then printed in the first few months of 1913 (Note: All models were built and images made from them for the catalog).

• Both production harp guitars appeared in this catalog, while the sub-bass guitar additionally appeared in The Crescendo September, 1912 issue.

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