This is a very nice C. F. Martin Style 3 Model Soprano Ukulele (1925), made in Nazareth, PA, natural finish, Mahogany body w/a mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. This is a very fine playing and sounding Martin Style 3 ukulele from the middle of the 1920’s. The Style 3 was offered in mahogany or Koa (as the Model 3K) as the original top of the line Martin ukulele until the advent of the pearl-trimmed Model 5-K in 1923. This Style 3 was still a fancy and fairly expensive ukulele when it was built in the 1920’s, and one of the finest ever made to this day. Martin’s Style 3 ukuleles have some unique decorative features that stand out from the crowd. These include a celluloid ornament at the base of the body and the multiple celluloid center stripe down the center of the fingerboard with small pearl diamonds for position inlays. The body is 7-ply bound front and 3-ply back with a multi-ply celluloid soundhole ring; the nut and saddle are bone. This one is finished in the transitional ’20s style, when the company was switching from hand-rubbed Varnish to sprayed lacquer. This one being the early Varnish. The tuners are the metal shaft Grover friction pegs with a flanged shaft over the button used at that time. The original bar frets remain in excellent condition. The 3M listed at $27.50 in the mid-1920’s, which was quite expensive for a uke; a pretty good guitar could be had for that price! The model sold in much smaller quantities than the less expensive Style 0’s and 1’s and is far rarer today. This is a lovely if not perfect example and a wonderful players instrument by any standard. This is a nicely original uke overall, 95+ years old and showing very little play wear, 1 very minor fine repaired crackle to its top from aging. It plays and sounds excellent with the typical superb Martin tone, rich and incisive at the same time. This is a super attractive uke, and a superb player’s instrument. It resides in an original brown gator soft case.