Friday, January 4, 2008

7-10-1929: Letter from Perry Bechtel to James Markley at C.F. Martin


Page one of a letter from Perry Bechtel to Jim Markley, Martin's first official sales-rep who initially discovered Bechtel while on a sales call in Atlanta. Removed from this letter when initially received, were photos Perry took of the Martin family and factory during his previous trip to Nazareth. These images have yet to surface. Bechtel references the "Gib" he was using, an early 1920s Gibson Style O Artist Model and not an L-5, as many have presumed. By the time Bechtel wrote this, Martin was already near completion of the body for Bechtel's guitar (which would eventually become the prototype for the Orchestra Model), yet they were still awaiting Perry's neck "templet" as of mid-July, 1929.