The Martin Company replied
with a letter, dated January 11, 1927:
The letter is signed by
the company Vice-President,
Christian Frederick Martin
III,
great-grandson of the
company's founder
and oldest son of Frank
Herbert Maritin, the company President.
Note that "H. K. Martin"
(namely Herbert Keller Martin, C.F.'s younger brother)
is listed on the letterhead
as company Secretary.
Herbert Keller had, in
fact, died of perotinitis in Nazareth
only 8 days earlier,
on January 3, 1927.
Note also that the letter
was typed by "MM".
Martin historian Mike
Longworth identifies this person in his book,
Martin Guitars: A
History. "There was only one assistant in the office,
Miss Maude Menhennitt.
Frederick, as he was
called, did most of the letter writing".
The backlog in orders
had inspired Martin to put an addition on their "new building".
Ground was broken in
1926, and the addition was completed in 1927.
They received this order
while construction was underway.
(The completed building
served as the Martin guitar factory for more than 35 years,
from 1927 until 1964
when they moved into their modern factory
at their present location).
The enclosed sales acknowledgement
is also quite revealing:
Note that the order was
received January 4, 1927,
the day after Herbert
Keller Martin's death.
Note also that Martin extends to J.G. Janet a 40% discount, since he is a retailer.
Note also that C.F. Martin
III has initialed the acknowledgement
in pencil, "CFM", at
the bottom.
In the middle of February,
1927, Martin shipped the following
O-28K guitar to Ralston...