Kumalae
Type #B

There was an auction 3 hours drive away over the weekend but I was sent a preview of the catalogue and could join in on line for a small fee on top of anything I bid on and won. I could also put in early proxy bids and as there was a couple of good looking Ukuleles in the catalogue, a standard Keech and this Kumalae, I thought "well I'll put in a low early bid, just to show an interest, and watch and bid online on the live app when it gets serious". Good thing I did too, because I forgot all about the auction when it was happening! I remembered after it had ended but there was nothing I could do then; and they were low proxy bids. Still you never know so I checked and after finding the results had been posted I could see the Keech had gone for 3 times what I had bid, (but them I'm not that fussed about a standard Keech Banjulele there is always a couple on ebay so if its not a bargain, a "long scale" or a deluxe I'm happy to wait for the next one) but the Kumalae? (and the Kumalae was the one I really wanted). I could see it had sold for a good deal less that the low proxy bid I put on, (I know the auctioneers treat that as a maximum and will start lower on your behalf), and I could see it went to an online buyer, but I wasn't 100% it was me. I had been notified that I was accepted to bid but not definitively that my bid had been accepted, and I couldn't find anything to notify me I had won so I was half hopeful, half really pissed off as I would have gone higher if it wasn't me and I had remembered to watch, (OK more like a quarter hopeful three quarters pissed; it had gone for a really low price if it wasn't me). With a sinking feeling I logged in this morning just to be sure and this time I found the notification I had won!! (whether I didn't find it yesterday or if they didn't notify me until this morning I don't know?) So a long drive to collect it, but at that price it was still worth it including the cost of the petrol. I phoned up the auction house to double check I had won, (I don't usually get that lucky), and to let them know I was coming to collect it and found I really had won and that they had packed it all up to post to me, (for a lot less than the petrol would have cost), as soon as I paid. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and now it's here and WOW!!! It is perfect. OK so it only has 3 tuning pegs and I'm not sure if any of them are original, (but I don't like wooden friction tuning pegs anyway and would / will replace them with a nice new set anyway). Apart from that no cracks, no seam splits, no scratches on the headstock decal, (no Tabu stamp probably so from the late 20's or 30's). The bridge is fine, nicely in place and no signs of being reattached, the rosette is fine with all the inlay in place, all the frets, including the 12th are fine, (Bar frets so 20's or early 30's), I couldn't ask for better.