Summary

Guitar with motor oil or kerosene tin body. The provenance of the guitar is unknown, but the date 1942 is stamped on the tin. The wear and repair of the guitar, including re-stringing on additional screws, suggests it was repeatedly used.

Physical Description

Rectangular body made from a repurposed motor oil (or similar) tin. Heavy wooden neck in two layers, without frets, inserted into crude hole pierced in body; neck also protrudes through lower end of guitar. Six strings, one broken. Strings terminate inside headstock, secured with bolts; at lower end they are fastened with a row of screws; a lower row of screws would have been used previously for stringing, suggesting the guitar had been used on more than one occasion. A small tin plate with off-cut corners covers the back of the headstock where the strings are fixed. The body has parallel ridges on base, and hole at top where the orignal content would have been accessed; original lid on hole missing. Two small depressions on either side of the hole indicate that a handle had orginally been welded there or would have been positioned there if added, supporting the identification of the tin as motor oil. Remnant gold and silver-coloured surface finishes, unlikely original. The lower layer of the neck has a smooth, tapered finish, suggesting it was orignially part of another item, or even a musical instrument.

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