Product Overview
CONDITION: AS SEEN PER PHOTO, THE MANDOLIN HAS SOME SLIGHT PLAYING WEAR, AND VINTAGE WEAR.
W/ CASE
Made for the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. White pearloid fingerboard and peghead veneer. Only made 1934-1936 with symmetrical body, carved top, oval soundhole, flat back, pickguard glued to top, bound top and back, bound pearloid fingerboard, double and triple diamond pearl inlay set into rosewood.
In 1933 Chicago hosted the Century of Progress International Exhibition. This commemorated the 100 years that had elapsed since its incorporation in 1833. In the middle of the Great Depression, the 1933 to 1934 Century of Progress exhibition attracted 48 million visitors.
Gibson sought to capitalize on this event, focusing on the exhibition's emphasis on scientific progress. Gibson unveiled two instruments in 1933 that were decorated with "pearloid", a celluloid plastic which had the look of pearl. The L-Century guitar and A-Century mandolin featured pegheads and fingerboards covered with this material often called "mother-of-toilet-seat" (since it was not "mother-of-pearl", and this celluloid was often used for toilet seat covers during the 1950s). Gibson capitalized on the Worlds Fair sensationalism with a new guitar model named in its honor. The Century model L-C was remarkable for its over-use of pearloid. Often called "mother-of-toilet-seat" (many toilet seat of the time used pearloid), during the 1930s this material was considered modern and certainly grabbed a lot of attention. Gibson produced these Century instruments from 1933 to 1941.
