Approximate
year |
Appears
on |
|
Label
Code |
Text/Description |
Comments |
Harp
Guitars |
Hawaiian
Guitars |
Harp
Mandolins |
Harp
Ukuleles |
1895 |
HGP1 |
|
|
|
 |
|
none. #4 in
pencil under inside neck joint on one example |
Dan
Most theorized that #4 may have signified "instrument # 4." |
1896-1897 |
HGP2,
HGP5 |
|
|
|
|
PT1 |
Rubber stamp of
both patent instruments |
Need
an image, somebody! |
1896-1897 |
HGP8,
HGP13, HGP14, HGP18, HGP19, HGP20,
HGP22, HGP28, HGP29 |
|
|
|
 |
PT2 |
MANUFACTURED
BY
C. KNUTSEN,
PORT TOWNSEND, WASH
PATENTED SEP. 15, 1896
|
Note that the patent date listed is for the original One
Arm Guitar. But this label also appears on three
of the 1898 Patent style guitars.
|
1897-1898 |
HGP17,
HGP21, HGP22 |
|
|
|
 |
PT3 |
MANUFACTURED
BY
C. KNUTSEN,
PORT TOWNSEND, WASH
PATENTED SEP. 15, 1896
|
Either realizing the above labels were false advertising,
or because he now filed for the new patent (May 17, 1897), Knutsen crosses
out the date and hand-writes over it, "applied for."
|
1897-1898 |
HGP6,
HGP7 |
|
|
|
 |
PT4 |
"Patent
applied for" in pencil |
Probably
similar, if not identical, to above. |
1898-1900 |
HGP27,
HGT15,
HGT17, HGT45, HGT53, HGT57 |
|
|
|
 |
PT5 |
"THE ONE-ARM HARP GUITAR.
Patented United States, England and Canada.
Infringements will
be prosecuted to the fullest extant." |
|
1899-1900 |
HGP3,
HGT2 |
|
|
|
 |
PT6 |
"Patented United
States, Canada, and England" |
Same
label as above with "The One-Arm Harp Guitar" cut off. |
1898-1900 |
HGT10,
HGT17 |
|
|
|
 |
PT7 |
Family portrait
taken about 1898 |
|
1898-1900 |
HGT1 |
|
|
|
|
PT8 |
CHRIS KNUTSEN
SOLE PATENTEE OF THE
SYMPHONY HARP GUITAR
WITH 11 STRINGS.
THE 5 EXTRA BASS STRINGS BEING TUNED TO D,C,B,A AND G, ONE OCTAVE LOWER
THAN REGULAR PITCH.
This HARP GUITAR
is the deepest tone instrument made. |
Only
example known is extremely faded. Rare example of printing his name as
"Chris." |
1900-? |
HGT30 |
|
|
|
 |
TA1 |
Illustration
of a Symphony Harp Guitar. Text (if any) faded. |
This label was positioned against a back brace with the image horizontal.
This positioning and the lack of paper around the image suggest that it is
different from the next label. |
1900-1902 |
HGT48 |
|
|
|
 |
TA1/2 |
MR. C.
KNUTSEN
SOLE-PATENTEE
OF THE
SYMPHONY HARP GUITAR
WITH 11 STRINGS
The five extra Bass strings being tuned to D,C,B
A and G, one octave lower then regular pitch.
THIS HARP GUITAR
IS THE DEEPEST TONED INSTRUMENT MADE.
This
is the only GUITAR
with the slanted fret.
FOR PRICES AND CIRCULARS
ADDRESS
C KNUTSEN...
|
Unfortunately, the address is missing from the only known label. It is
presumed to be the 1001 south J St., Tacoma address. |
1900-1902 |
HGT13,
HGT19, HGT23, HGT37 |
|
|
|
 |
TA2 |
Mr. C. Knutsen
SOLE-PATENTEE
of the
Symphony Harp Guitar
With 11 Strings.
The 5 extra bass strings being tuned
to D, C, B, A, and G, one octave lower
than
regular pitch.
This HARP GUITAR is the deepest tone instrument made.
This
is the only GUITAR with the
slanted fret.
For prices and circulars
address:
C. Knutsen,
1001 south J St., Tacoma, Wash. |
"Mr. C. Knutsen" is printed in a fancy italics
script.
Note that this refers specifically to slanted frets. |
1901-1904 |
HGT3,
HGT4, HGT5, HGT7, HGT18,
HGT22,
HGT26, HGT29, HGT52 |
|
|
|
 |
TA3 |
C. NUTSEN,
(misspelled)
Sole Patentee of the
Symphony - Harp -Guitar
With 11 Strings
The five extra bass strings are tuned to
D, C, B, A, and G, one octave lower than
regular pitch.
|
Was this a misprint - or was Knutsen trying a
different phonetic spelling for some purpose?
See What's
in a Name?
|
1903-1906 |
HGT16,
HGT18, HGT35, HGS47, HGT49, HGS64 |
|
|
|

 |
TA4 |
C. KNUTSEN,
Sole Patentee of the
Symphony=Harp=Guitar
With 11 Strings
The five extra bass strings are tuned to D, C, B, A, and G, one
octavo lower than regular pitch.
|
Same era, same words - but with the correct
spelling (though "octave" is now misspelled) |
1906-1908 |
HGS16, HGS25,
HGS33, HGS35, HGS53, HGS72 |
|
HM21 |
|
 |
SE1 |
C. KNUTSEN,
Sole Patentee of the
HARP GUITAR
With 11 Strings.
The five extra bass strings are
tuned to D, C, B, A, and G, one octave lower than
regular pitch.
|
Notice that Knutsen has dropped the "Symphony"
name. Perhaps because he transferred the rights to Dyer?
|
1910-1913 |
HGS5,
HGS6, HGS7,
HGS8, HGS9, HGS10, HGS11, HGS12, HGS15, HGS19, HGS22, HGS28, HGS31, HGS37, HGS40,
HGS48, HGS49, HGS50, HGS56, HGS61, HGS62, HGS63, HGS66, HGS69, HGS73 |
|
HM28 (cut down) |
|
 |
SE2 |
C. KNUTSEN
SOLE PATENTEE
OF THE
11 STRINGED HARP GUITAR
The five extra bass strings er
tuned to D, C, B, A, and G, one octave lower than
regular pitch.
|
"11 STRINGED HARP GUITAR" in red letters. The
word "are" is misspelled "er."
|
1909-1917 |
|
HCW1,
HCW2, HCW6, HCW11, HCW12, HCS1,
HW27, HW33 |
|
HU20,
HU21, HU25, HU27,
HT4 |
 |
SE3 |
Patent
Applied For
C. KNUTSEN
|
Now believed to refer to a patent for the
"convertible" feature (never granted). See SE9 below for another
version.
|
1906-1913 |
HGS3,
HGS2, HGS42 |
|
HM4,
HM5, HM10, HM13, HM18, HM20, HM24, HM29 |
|

|
SE4
|
C. Knutsen,
Sole Patentee of the
(Knutsen simply cut off the "HARP GUITAR With 11 Strings,"
from above labels when using for mandolins or harp guitars with less than 11
courses! Sometimes "sole" and "of the" are scribbled
out)
|
The first we see of Knutsen's label cost-savings.
|
1910-1914 |
HGS4 |
|
HM2,
HM7, HM9, HM19, HM22, HM27 |
|

|
SE5
|
C. KNUTSEN
SOLE
PATENTEE
blue-bordered label
|
|
1910-1914 |
HGS65 |
|
HM8 |
|

 |
SE6 |
C. KNUTSON (misspelled)
Sole Patentee.
|
Another misspelled label.
Strangely, these seemingly identical cut labels (same
typewriter?) are different: "Sole" lines up under the "KN" slightly
differently |
1913-1914 |
HGS1,
HGS34 |
HTD4 |
HMA2 |
HU15
(photo cut off) |

|
SE7
|
THE BEST TONE MANDOLIN AND
GUITAR IN THE WORLD
Harp Guitar
Factory
C. KNUTSEN, PROP.
ALL KINDS OF STRING INSTRUMENTS MADE
AND REPAIRED
1200 STEWART STREET
CORNER OF MINOR
SEATTLE
WASH.
|
The harp guitar pictured is the same one shown in the
"New Hawaiian Family" label. On the uke's label, the photo is
cut off, and Knutsen has hand-written "Patent aplod."
|
1913-1914 |
HGS31,
HGS45 |
|
|
|
 |
SE8 |
Nearly identical to
above
|
This is a different printing, with the word
"MADE" moved down to the next line.
|
1910-1917 |
|
HCW13 |
|
HU11,
HU12, HU23, HU24 |
 |
SE9 |
Patent
Applied
For
C. Knutsen
|
Now believed to refer to a patent for the
"convertible" feature (never granted). See SE3 above for another version.
|
1909-1930
(possible time frame) |
|
|
|
HU7 |
 |
SE10 |
ERNEST KAAI
DEALER
UKULELE
HONOLULU, HAWAII
|
When and how many instruments did Kaai distribute in
Hawaii?
|
1914-? |
|
|
|
HU26 |
 |
LA1/2 |
PATENT APPLIED FOR
C. KNUTSEN
Los Angeles
|
A new label discovered in 2006 - Knutsen is printing a new
"P.A.F." label in L.A.!
|
1914-1920s |
|
HCP1,
HCP8, HCP10, HCP16, HP1, HP2, HP3, HP4, HW3, HW4, HW5, HW18, HW21,
HW24, HW29 |
|
|
 |
LA1 |
C. KNUTSEN
NEW HAWAIIAN FAMILY
C. Knutsen's Patents
full "New
Hawaiian Family" label, white
|
The "patents" he refers to seem to have never
been granted.
|
1914-1920s |
|
HCW3,
HCW7, HCW10, HCP11, HCP13, HCP15, HCP17, HCP21, HP5, HW7, HW8, HW9, HW10, HW23, HW24, HW25,
HW34 |
|
|
 |
LA2 |
full "New
Hawaiian Family" label, yellow |
The
yellow and white "runs" of this label may or may not coincide
with different time periods. |
1914-1920s |
|
|
HM3 |
HU1,
HU18 |
 |
LA3 |
half "New
Hawaiian Family" label, yellow |
|
1914-1920s |
|
|
HBA1 |
HU2,
HU30 |
 |
LA4 |
half "New
Hawaiian Family" label, white |
|
1920-1930? |
|
HW11
|
|
|
 |
LA5 |
HAWAIIAN
THE MELE
UKULELE
B & J, New York
|
Another
strange one - when and how many instruments did B&J
distribute in the East? |
1916 |
|
HTD3 |
|
|
 |
LA5-1/2 |
C. Knutsen
1600 Temple St.
Los Angeles |
While we don't know exactly when the famous 1542 Temple St. address began,
we know that Knutsen was listed at this address for only one year - in 1916. |
1920-1927
or 1928. Possibly earlier (back to 1914?) |
|
HCP5 |
|
|
 |
LA6 |
Chris
Knutsen
1542 Temple
Los Angeles
Calif.
handwritten (believed to be in Knutsen's own hand - though could be
just from an envelope addressed to him as below) |
Still
unsubstantiated is when Knutsen first moved to this address. The earliest
verifiable date is 1920. |
1920-1927
or 1928. Possibly earlier (back to 1914?) |
|
HCP2,
HCP6, HCP20, HHW4? |
|
|
 |
LA7 |
(Chris) Knutsen,
1542 Temple St.
Los Angeles (Calif.)
various examples from typewritten envelopes
|
The quickest, cheapest possible labels Knutsen could find!
|
1920-1927
or 1928. Possibly earlier (back to 1914?) |
|
HCP12,
HHW4, HHW11,
HHW12, HHW15, HW20 |
|
HU4 |
 |
LA8 |
C. KNUTSEN
MANUFACTURER OF
ALL KINDS OF
STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
1542 TEMPLE ST.,
LOS ANGELES, CAL. |
This is the complete label. There is a large space before
address at bottom. |
1920-1927
or 1928. Possibly earlier (back to 1914?) |
|
HCS3,
HCN1, HCN3, HHW1, HHW14, HHW19, HHW20, HHW21, HHW24 |
|
|
 |
LA9 |
C. KNUTSEN
Manufacturer of
ALL KINDS OF
STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
1542 TEMPLE ST.
|
|
1914-? |
|
HTD1 |
|
|
 |
LA10 |
C. KNUDSEN (misspelled)
Los Angeles
|
Bottom
portion appears cut off. |
1927-1930 |
|
HHW7,
HHW8, HHW22 |
|
|
 |
LA11 |
C.
KNUTSEN
Musical Instruments Made and Repaired
1306 McDuff St.,(Cor. Sunset) Los Angeles, Cal.
Phone MUtual 1678 |
Knutsen's
labels improved in the last few years of his life and career. |
1927-1930 |
|
HW32 |
|
|
 |
LA12 |
TEL MUTUAL 1678
C.
KNUTSEN
MANUFACTURER OFALL KINDS OF
STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
1306 McDuff St.,(1400 BLOCK ON SUNSET BLVD.) LOS ANGELES, CALIF. |
|