OK. Here are a couple of close up pictures of a couple of vintage Weissenborns. The first one, in better shape than the other, is from a Vintage Weissenborn Style 2. The second one, in worse condition and featuring more dings and missing parts, from a Weissenborn Style 4.

According to Tom Noe and Dan Most investigations (that you can read on their Knutsen book, that has a wide section on Hermann Weissenborn´s guitars), the Weissenborn burnt in branded shield is always the same during all years of production of the Weissenborn & Co. Ltd. from 1923 to 1936. The facts only prove they are right.

“The brand started out in the early years of production sharp and crisp, and as time passed, the brand showed progressive signs of wear”, they state. “Dents in the edges resulted in unwanted curves appearing in the straight lines of the shiled, and eventually broken lines. By 1930 the brand had several gaps in the lines of the shield, and the left side of the shield appears to be almost in the shape of an eagle´s peak because the line across the bottom of the shiled is bent in on the left end.” Tom Noe-Dan Most. Chris J. Knutsen, From Harp Guitars, to the New Hawaiian Family.

Our early style 2 is an early 1920´s, while the Style 4 shield is a 1930´s. You can see the obvious consequences of the time passing on the burning brand. You can now guess more accurately the age of your Weissenborn as this is one of the main clues you will find to date one. Other specs to be more precise, we´ll talk in future posts.