Ridgmount lap steel c.1937 with Ricky(?) horseshoe pickup

[Bob Bowman]

1937 (ish) Ridgmount lap steel made in London by JE Dallas for sale. It has the original croc skin fitted case with compartments (top has been replaced with a piece of green painted hardboard!).

The horseshoe pickup is 1.5" wide and the electronics, partly replaced, are of USA origin. Guitar Vinters in Florida tell me that some Ricky pickups were sent to the UK at this time.

The body of the guitar has had the original dark brown varnish removed and leather inserts on the base added in place of the green baize (?) which had disintegrated.

The original fretboard is a paper-thin wood veneer with indistinct markings so I've temporarily covered this with a piece of plastic on top of a photocopy of my Supro Supreme fretboard. Same scale length.

It's in working order with lowish output. The horseshoes don't seem to be very magnetic but all of the poles pieces produce the right noise when taped.

Very little info on these - anything would be appreciated and I've no idea of the value so open to offers

Loads more photos, just ask

Any interest?

Cheers, Bob