Every Guitar Has A Story
Sylvia and Her 1959 Gibson
One Owner From New: Sylvia’s 1959 Gibson ES-335
I bought this guitar from Sylvia’s daughter. It came with the 1959 receipt, its original case, family photographs and a handwritten note about the woman who played it.
We get a lot of guitars through the shop. Every now and then, one arrives with the part of its history that usually gets lost. This 1959 Gibson ES-335 is one of those guitars.
I bought it from Sylvia’s daughter with the original receipt, family photographs and a note about Sylvia’s life with music.
The documents do not tell us everything that happened during the guitar’s long life. They do give us a direct connection to its original owner, the store where it was sold and the family that kept its story.
The Original Owner
Sylvia’s Guitar
The receipt tells us when and where the guitar was sold. A family note signed by Dawn tells us about the woman who owned it.
Sylvia was a seamstress who loved music. Dawn remembers that she sang, played guitar and taught guitar for extra money. She also sang in nightclubs. When the family visited, Sylvia made sure they sang together. Sometimes she played this ES-335 while they sang.
Those memories are the important part of the story. This was not just a valuable guitar kept in a case. It was Sylvia’s instrument, and music was part of the life she shared with her family.
From the Family Archive
The Photographs and Receipt That Came With It
These records stayed with the guitar. There is a photograph of Sylvia’s daughter holding it at the airport, two photographs of Sylvia and the original 1959 sales receipt.
What the Paperwork Tells Us
Bought New on August 18, 1959
The receipt is from Hall’s Music Store at 169 North Main Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. It is dated August 18, 1959 and lists a Gibson ES-335T, serial number A-30305, along with a case.
That is the part of the history the paperwork can prove. The receipt connects the guitar to a dealer, a date and the case sold with it. The photographs and family note carry the story forward from there.
This guitar also appears in my 1959 Gibson ES-335 Authentication Guide. That guide is about how a 1959 ES-335 was made. This page is about Sylvia and the life attached to this one.
You can find more guitars with documented family histories in the JVG Museum and Original Owners archive.
Every Guitar Has A Story
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