Gibson Art Deco guitars
The first word in guitars has to be that of ‘Gibson’. This well-established company harks back to the latter stages of the nineteenth century when one Orville Gibson began making guitars and mandolins.
The first word in guitars has to be that of ‘Gibson’. This well-established company harks back to the latter stages of the nineteenth century when one Orville Gibson began making guitars and mandolins.
Gibson Mandolin and Guitar Co., Ltd was incorporated in 1902 at Kalamazoo in Michigan U.S.A. (Yes that’s the Kalamazoo from the Art Deco period track ‘I’ve got a Gal in Kalamazoo’!). The company, renowned for production of top quality guitars is now located in Nashville in Tennessee.
Electric guitars were introduced into the range when designer Les Paul was employed by Gibson in the 1940’s. Gibson had earlier declined offers from Les Paul and actually had to track him down once the impact of the electric guitar was understood more fully.
The link below will take you to a page from a news archive from 2000 entitled ‘First two Art Deco tribute guitars unveiled’. This article outlines the production of an ‘Art Deco Collection’ of guitars released as a follow-up to the widely acclaimed ‘Twentieth Century Tribute’ set. The Art Deco Collection was produced in strictly limited numbers. The range of Art Deco guitars – of course – meets Gibsons criteria of high quality, each instrument being hand crafted by by Master Luthier Bruce J. Kunkel. The concept of Art Deco Collection was to pay homage to America’s commercial art and industrial achievements during the heady days of the Art Deco period.
There are some wonderful photographs of two examples of Gibsons Art Deco guitars, the ‘Jazz Moderne’ pickguard and the ‘Sophisticated Lady’. Both examples were produced after much research was conducted into answering the question of exactly what it was that fully represented the Art Deco era.
We are all familiar with those extravagant Hollywood movies made in the Thirties where the guy and gal strut the latest dance craze to hit the Art Deco scene. Well it’s not difficult to envisage some classy jazz guitarist in the big band bashing out a Glenn Miller or Spike Jones tune on one of the finest Art Deco guitars ever produced.
For further information and great pictures visit the following page about Gibson Art Deco guitars
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