Hawaiian Lap Top Guitar by Nioma circa 1937; with Amp by Magnatone, circa 1947

View Similar Items

Rare Art Deco Epiphone Electar Model M Lap Steel Electric Guitar and amp combo

Americano Single-Ended, Stereo Amp by Toolshed Amps for Original in Berlin

Antique 1930's Gretsch Arch Top Acoustic Guitar

1937 The Years

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, First Edition, Later Printing, 1937

Guitar Infiny Wall Decoration Mirror with Led Lights

Paul Laszlo Catalog from 1947

Didactic Horseskull, before 1947.

Paris 1937 -- Exposition Internationale

Hawaiian Balsa Wood Custom Surfboard Made by Riley

Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Parrot and Floral Design, Men's X-Large, Circa 1970's

Avedon: Photographs 1947-1977 (Book)

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 16

Hawaiian Lap Top Guitar by Nioma circa 1937; with Amp by Magnatone, circa 1947

About the Item

This Hawaiian lap top guitar was made by The Nioma Company whose examples are very hard to find; more rare than it's Magnatone counterpart who made guitars at about the same time. Nioma is an acronym and stands for "National Institute of Music and Art". They were incorporated in 1932 by Harry Baxter and Mary Strnad. They were established to endear music to young people. They provided instruments and lessons, and even created a guitar orchestra to pursue that goal. Not much is known about the company except, we do know that they began in Seattle, and years later expanded to Los Angeles; not necessarily with the sole goal of selling guitars, but also to promote the love of music. The company folded in 1952. This guitar, circa 1937, originally sold for $70 and has an Art Deco style and appearance, especially with the grey "pearloid" finish. It has a lone knob to control volume, chrome palm rest, a jack opening at the base to plug into an amplifier, white button tuning gears, and a small metal logo on the peg head. The guitar comes with the original lightweight carrying case.It is in worn condition (see images) but serviceable. The guitar has a deep, fine quality sound. The tuning pegs are replacements to the original celluloid (originals are in the case); the actual machine part of the tuning pegs are original and it holds pitch fine. The guitar is an excellent professional instrument. The amp has a lot of punch and a fine sound for a small amplifier. One theory contends that The Magna Company stole the grey "pearloid" finish from Nioma and finished their amplifiers similarly, to promote their own line of guitars. The amplifier provided here is a 50 watt, circa 1947, Magnatone and has the markings "Model No. M-197 3-V Varsity Magnatone, Magna Electronics, Los Angeles California." There is a brass and blue nameplate at the front base of the amp. The outer case is decorated with a leather like fabric to the outside. The speaker is 7". Obviously the amp is tube driven. The leather carrying strap to the amp is detached on one side. Hawaiian guitars became popular in the 1930s, especially on the West Coast, and two companies appeared to promote their manufacture. The more popular Magna Company (Magnatone guitars and amps) was started in 1937 in Los Angeles by Delbert Dickerson, and the lesser known and less prolific Nioma Company was started in Seattle, circa 1932. By the 1950s country music and rock and roll had become more popular than Hawaiian music and the Hawaiian guitar was replaced by electric hollow and solid body 6 string guitars by Fender and Gibson. Guitar dimensions: 30" long x 6 1/2" wide x 2 1/2" deep Case dimensions: 32" long x 8" wide x 3 1/2" deep Amplifier dimensions: 11 3/4" wide x 7 1/2" deep x 11 1/4" high.

Creator:
Nioma Guitars (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 11.25 in (28.58 cm)Width: 11.75 in (29.85 cm)Depth: 32 in (81.28 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Wood,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1930-1939
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1937
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Incline Village, NV
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU973212588171

More From This Seller

View All

Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Parrot and Floral Design, Men's X-Large, Circa 1970's

Located in Incline Village, NV

Cotton Hawaiian vintage shirt with flora and fauna theme of Hawaiian islands; including multiple parrots and abundant flowers in a multiplicity o...

Category

Vintage 1970s Hawaiian Modern Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Cotton

Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Parrot and Floral Design, Men's X-Large, Circa 1970's

$285

Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Surf Board and Local Tropical Floral Design, Men's Large

Located in Incline Village, NV

Made of soft, smooth, rayon and with an authentic sewn in on three sides "Diamond Head Sportswear" label, this vintage Hawaiian shirt is from t...

Category

Vintage 1970s Hawaiian Mid-Century Modern Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Fabric

Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Surf Board and Local Tropical Floral Design, Men's Large

$365

Doorstop "Golfer" by Hubley, circa 1920

By Hubley Manufacturing Company 2

Located in Incline Village, NV

This doorstop, also known as "Overhead Swinging Golfer," is more difficult to find than it's "Putting Golfer" counterpart doorstop; which is also made by Hubley. Manufactured by the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1920, this cast iron doorstop is in outstanding all original bright paint with no touch up or restoration of any kind, and in wonderful patina. It depicts an older, grey haired man, with typical knicker golf garb, taking a wild swing at a golf ball resting on the grass. It has a semi "hollow" rear with a "238" factory marking, indicating that it is, in fact, by Hubley and original. It is noted in Jeanne Bertoia's 1985 book on doorstops page 60; and referenced on page 211 of the Smith book on doorstops. A must for the doorstop or golfing memorabilia...

Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Iron

Doorstop "Golfer" by Hubley, circa 1920

$1,275

"Cat With A Bow Seated" Still Bank, American, circa 1970

By John Wright Company

Located in Incline Village, NV

"Cat With A Bow Seated" cast iron still bank is a re-issue of a bank by the same name and same casting made in the early 1900s by the Grey Iron C...

Category

Vintage 1970s American Folk Art Toys

Materials

Iron

"Cat With A Bow Seated" Still Bank, American, circa 1970

$155

Magician's Trick Double Wood Boxes with Ties, circa 1890

Located in Incline Village, NV

This item is from a collection of "magic" props from a California estate, and was accumulated in New York City; home too many famous conjurors; Houdini, Hermann the Great, and Copper...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Games

Materials

Wood

Magician's Trick Double Wood Boxes with Ties, circa 1890

$435

Seated "Cat with a Bow" Still Bank, American, circa 1922

By Grey Iron Casting Company

Located in Incline Village, NV

"Cat with a Bow Seated" cast iron still bank is a difficult bank to acquire and is listed in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" as #364 and rated a "D" (A to F rarity scale--A most c...

Category

Vintage 1920s American Folk Art Toys

Materials

Iron

Seated "Cat with a Bow" Still Bank, American, circa 1922

$395

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Rare Art Deco Epiphone Electar Model M Lap Steel Electric Guitar and amp combo

$3,400 / set

Americano Single-Ended, Stereo Amp by Toolshed Amps for Original in Berlin

By Original in Berlin

Located in Berlin, DE

Americano single-ended, Stereo Pentode Amplifier 5 watts per channel Input sensitivity: 1.03v to full output Input impedance: 50K Inputs: 2, switchable by Front Panel Mounted Carling Switch Output: 8 Ohm Via 5-Way Binding Posts Bias: No user adjustment necessary Tube compliment: 6973 power tubes (X2) Other compatible power tubes as follows: 6CM6/6CZ5/6EM5 (Performance Varies), EZ81/6CA4 Rectifier Tube (X1), EF91/6AM6 Driver Tubes (X2) Other compatible driver tubes as follows: M8083/CV4015 (Performance Varies). Original in Berlin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Music Stands

Materials

Copper

Americano Single-Ended, Stereo Amp by Toolshed Amps for Original in Berlin

$5,635

Antique 1930's Gretsch Arch Top Acoustic Guitar

By Friedrich Gräsel

Located in New Milford, CT

**Antique 1930s Gretsch 150 Archtop Acoustic Guitar – Vintage Elegance with Timeless Tone** Step into the golden age of American craftsmanship with this stunning antique 1930s Grets...

Category

Vintage 1930s American American Classical Musical Instruments

Materials

Maple, Rosewood

Antique 1930's Gretsch Arch Top Acoustic Guitar

$1,600 / item

1937 The Years

By Virginia Woolf

Located in Bath, GB

The first edition of the final novel published during Virginia Woolf's lifetime, in an especially bright example of the sought-after Vanessa Bell dust wrapper. The first edition, fi...

Category

Vintage 1930s British Books

Materials

Paper

1937 The Years

$2,100

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, First Edition, Later Printing, 1937

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Mitchell, Margaret, Gone with the Wind. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937. First edition, thirty-third printing. Octavo. Handsomely rebound in full navy Moroccan leather with gi...

Category

Vintage 1930s American Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, First Edition, Later Printing, 1937

$3,000

Guitar Infiny Wall Decoration Mirror with Led Lights

Located in Paris, FR

Wall decoration mirror guitar Infiny made with mirrored led lights with glass and plexiglass creating an infiny mirrored effect. With original and except...

Category