Knutsen Harp Guitar    

This guitar is nearly identical to both HGP1 and HGP10 - both of which may be Anderson-built instruments. Only the slightest difference in fret marker placement and the scalloped fingerboard end appear to be different (the surviving Anderson guitar has the same scalloped fingerboard end).
I asked the owner, Luca Lund, to describe the makeup of the various "striped" inlay areas, as they looked incomplete.
He writes,
"The bridge appears to be 5 pieces of wood that have been glued together. My guess is rosewood and maple. This makes the two stripes that run perpendicular to the strings. The cross stripes (parallel to the strings) are channeled down around 1/8" or so with the maple stripes inlayed into the channels" (Note: this appears identical to HGP1 [top bridge in this photo] - GM). "The stripes on the fingerboard are inlayed. It looks like the same type of setup as the bridge. Five pieces of wood laminated together forming the two light stripes. In my photos, the areas that look "worn off" actually are just areas where the wood is aged or dirty. On close examination of the neck, it too appears to be three pieces, with a maple stripe down the middle. The top surface of the headstock is a veneer so the maple stripe can't be seen on the front."
Luca also explains that there is no back center seam, but a "striped" area that  looks more like a glue or putty-like filler.
As for provenance,
"It was my great grandmother's guitar. She gave it to my dad thinking he was the only one who'd play it (he played the piano and the uke), but he never did. I know he's spoken of listening to his grandma playing old Norwegian folks songs on it. Dad gave it to me when I was a teenager and I've had it ever since. The guitar hasn't gone very far from where it was manufactured. I live in Everett, Washington as did my great grandma. Port Townsend isn't too far from here."
Color photos coming soon.

hgp19.jpg (16053 bytes) hgp19head.jpg (16318 bytes) hgp19bridge.jpg (9190 bytes) hgp19headback.jpg (17277 bytes) hgp19sh.jpg (35860 bytes) hgp19back.jpg (18192 bytes)

Click on a  picture to enlarge
(images copyright Luca Lund)

Knutsen Archives Inventory Number

HGP19

                 Category

Port Townsend Harp Guitars

                 Body Style

"1896 patent"

                 Current or last known owner

Luca Lund

              Year (approx)

1896-1897

                 Label

MANUFACTURED BY
C. KNUTSEN, 
PORT TOWNSEND, WASH
PATENTED SEP. 15, 1896

                 Label Code PT2

                 Courses / Strings

6 course: 6 strings on neck

                 Frets

straight
                 Scale length 25-1/4"
                 Neck Joint heel

Woods

Top

spruce?

Back & Sides

mahogany

Neck

unknown

Fingerboard

unknown

Bridge

rosewood with maple strips and inlay
Headstock veneer unknown

Binding, trim

Top

none

Back

none

Fingerboard

2 inlaid maple stripes

Headstock(s)

none
Soundhole 3 rings (1 herringbone)

                 Inlay

dot fret markers

                 Pickguard

none

                 Comments

 

 

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