We discovered this antique Ukelin in a box with our stored stuff. It belonged to Ruth's grandparents' family, Jens and Marie Christensen |
Here's a link to some pictures of this antique Ukelin we just discovered in our storage stuff! We don't know exactly when Ruth's grandparents purchased this instrument, or from whom. However, we do know they often ordered items from the Montgomery Ward mail-order catalog. There was a blank order form from Montgomery Wards in the box with the Ukelin, which indicates that's where they may have acquired it. But we don't know for sure. They were also sold by door-to-door salesmen in rural America in the 1920s and 1930s. Jens and Marie moved with their family from South Dakota to Oregon in 1930, so it is entirely possible they bought it from a traveling salesman in South Dakota. Ruth's Uncle Milton Christensen was the youngest of the six boys in the family, and the only one still living. His recollection of the instrument is that the family "always had it."
Here's a link to a Wikipedia article about Ukelins if anyone is interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukelin
And here is one of someone playing Amazing Grace
FYI http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/uke4.html
ReplyDeleteThanks, Don, for providing this link. It adds a little more depth to understanding this interesting instrument.
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