UNRESERVED. Only two weeks prior to this Auction, a doctor contacted us about a unique guitar that has been in his wife's family's possession since the 1940's. When we were shown photographs of the unusual instrument, the overall shape resembled the earliest Rickenbacher electric guitars, and indeed, the doctor's wife had always been told that this was a Rickenbacher prototype. As she states in an affidavit provided to us, her grandfather had been a friend of Adolf Rickenbacher (they were members of the same social club in Los Angeles), and he received the instrument as a gift directly from Mr. Rickenbacher. The family states the gift was made was in the 1940's.

This early electric guitar, complete with its original, compelling case, arrived in Guernsey's offices a week before the Auction. A leading authority on Rickenbacher instruments sees no evidence to support the connection to that company. Instead, he agrees that it certainly is of the period and an early example of an electric instrument. In our opinion, the instrument is expertly crafted and indeed may be unique in all the world. Interested parties are urged to view it at the Preview Exhibition or contact Guernsey's for an advance inspection.

Early-1930's aluminum solid body "Frying Pan" guitar with assorted brass and steel attachments, 32" x 7" with custom period case featuring a repousse copper figure of a young woman affixed to its cover.