These are old Hawaiian koa sopranos, all from the teens and 1920s; a very rare and early Manuel Nunes, a Leonardo Nunes 6 string, a Leonardo Nunes, an Echo uke, and two Kumalaes...
The years 1880 to 1930 are considered to be the golden years of ukulele manufacturing. In Hawaii there were many ukulele manufacturers, including Kumalae, Kamaka, Nunes, Kaai and Kahola....
During the 20s, after Martin and Gibson were so successfull selling ukuleles, many other mainland manufacturers got into the uke business, including Gretsch, Lyon & Healy, Regal, Harmony and Favilla. Many of these companies were more interested with quantity then quality...
However, several mainland ukulele companies made wonderful ukuleles, especially Martin and Gibson. The Harmony Company was mostly known for novelty ukes, but in the late 20s they created the Vita Uke, which has a wonderful sound.
Metal ukuleles were all the rage in the 20s and 30s. Regal, Dobro and National were the top manufacturers. Not only is the body, or parts of the body, metal, but the strings were metal, too...
Strange shaped ukes have been made ever since Sam Kamaka first invented the pineapple uke. Ukes were made in the shape of violins, trumpets, triangular mandolins and even airplanes (second from the right, made to celebrate Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic)...
Between 1949 and 1969 over nine million plastic ukes were sold. Hundreds of thousands of "TV Pals" were sold to folks wanting to play along to Arthur Godfrey on his daily TV show...
Sources include the collections of Damian Vitale, Craig Thompson and Mr Akira Tsumra of Japan
Page one of gorgeous ukes here.
Home | Uke Players
| Beautiful Ukes | Uke History
| Martin Ukes | Kamaka Ukes |
Kamaka Tour | Uke Friends | Brudda IZ | Ukulele Ike | Uke Music
Get your own Free Home Page