Symphony Harp Guitar HGT38

This Symphony model was first discovered featured on a piece of 1917 Irving Berlin sheet music (left 2 images). The player is Wilber, of British group Vardon, Perry & Wilbur. The right two images show the same guitar from an undated postcard of the Rag-Time Six, another British group featuring Vardon and Perry, but with a new player of the Knutsen.
In both cases, the guitar looks very dark, which no surviving Knutsen Symphony models are. The bottom of the right image guitar shows either wear or perhaps original finish showing through? Maybe they tried to stain it black to match the black Gibsons if the group. Note how the circa 1900 guitar already has two added metal tailpiece supports for the neck and bass strings.
See the full images on the Historical Photos page.

Click on a picture to enlarge
(left images copyright Soren Venema, right images copyright Gregg Miner)

Knutsen Archives Inventory Number		HGT38
Category		Tacoma Harp Guitars
Body Style		"Symphony"
Current or last known owner		Vardon, Perry & Wilber,
Year (approx)		1898-1902
Label		unknown
Courses / Strings		11 course: 6 strings on neck, 5 bass
Frets		unknown
Scale length		unknown
Neck Joint		unknown
Woods	Top	unknown
	Back & Sides	unknown
	Neck	unknown
	Fingerboard	unknown
	Bridge	unknown
	Headstock veneer	unknown
Binding, trim	Top	unknown
	Back	unknown
	Fingerboard	unknown
	Headstock(s)	unknown
	Soundhole	unknown
Inlay		unknown
Pickguard		unknown
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