1930s Unmarked (Oscar Schmidt Factory) Faux-Resonator Guitar
I'm not sure when this was made (and thus what maker built this), but I'm pretty sure it was made in the old Oscar Schmidt factory in Jersey City, NJ -- which means it would have been made by "Fretted Instruments Manufacturers" (just after Schmidt) or "United" (the firm that took over in the very late '30s in the same space).
In any case, it has the usual Schmidt/United-style 25" scale length, their '30s-style fretwire, and a body shape pulled right from other products made in the same factory at the time. It's solid birch in the body (curiously!) and it's a faux-resonator guitar -- meaning it has a tailpiece and coverplate but the bridge sits on the wooden top rather than a fit-in resonator cone. Curiously, it gives enough of a metallic shimmer to the sound that it might be convincing-enough to a blues-style player to enjoy it anyhow.
This arrived here via a customer with a neck reset already done but the bridge needed to be compensated, the frets leveled and dressed, and a good setup done. Now that these tasks are in the rearview mirror, it plays nice and quick and has a good, punchy, midsy, direct sound. I like.
Comments
Identical guitar with the name 'Antoria' stamped with aged gold paint on the headstock but definitely the same as your one in all other respects. Has square kerfing inside (Oscar Schmidt style?). original trap door case came with it.
It's a great little original well set up guitar (neck set done with newer bridge only) and fitted with PB 12s sounds bright and brash - real fun to play.
The only 'Antoria' guitars I have found any info on are UK imports from the 1960/70s. Nothing made in the USA and so old mentioned.
Any ideas who this USA 'Antoria' was, please?