Carson Robison guitar

[rvrpilot]

I picked this old guitar up at a auction here in Illinois yesterday, I'm needing some help
to find out if its made by Gibson or someone else.I'm pretty sure that its pre-WW-II
The only mark that I can find on it is a 4 that on the inside that looks to be made
with some type of black marker and its done by hand.Any info would really help out!
Thanks Rvrpilot

[GopherDaGold]

Pasted from vintaxe.com:

"I think you've got a Carson Robison flat top.
: Carson Robison was one of the original
: "singing cowboys" during the depression
: and managed to get his own line of guitars through
: Montgomery Ward around 1935. The Recording King
: Carson Robison model was made by Gibson who
: clearly needed the business during the Depression.
: The guitar is a mid-level spruce and mahogany flat
: top similar to the Kalamazoo KG-11 and the
: Cromwell G-1, also produced by Gibson during this
: time. In 1937 the guitar was renamed the Recording
: King Model K, and was available in a 12-fret
: Hawaiian version. In 1939, the body was enlarged
: to 16", but by ’40 the Gibson Carson Robison
: was discontinued although a Kay version was
: offered from 1941 until 1942."

(GDG opinion) The oval pick-guard and sound hole is throwing me off. The tail piece extends over the signature so is likely a later add-on and a Gibson head stock would be more ornate. Interesting guitar and I'd like to know more about it as well because it doesn't look much like a Montgomery Ward either.

[rvrpilot]

I was able to have this guitar identified by Gruhns guitars in Nashville,it
was made by Kay circa 1940, Mr Gruhn also stated that he had not came across
this variation of the Carson Robison before but it sounds to be a cheaper
model sold by Montgomery Wards.

HH Rvrpilot