Not exactly sure what I have here.............

[Yoder409]

I recently picked up a box call and I've never seen one like it before.


It is a Turpin-style box.  The lid looks to be either mahogany or cherry.  Hard for me to tell, exactly, due to the way the grain is sawn.  The box could be cherry........the end grain is open enough to be.  But not sure. 

It came in a cardboard box with a woodgrain contact paper covering.  There is an instruction paper (not sure if there should have been more or not) that says "by Tom Turpin" on the top.

No markings of address or manufacturer on the call, the box or the instructions..........

Anyone have any idea as to the origins of this call ??

[Yoder409]

Is this the one from eBay?

It is.............or was.  Yep.

[CMBOSTC]

Call Steve Turpin.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Looks like a Turpin family predecessor to Roger Latham's True Tone.  He bought the rights to the Tom Turpin calls.

[doublespurs21]

the paddle looks like breech.  I have one made by steve back in 2005 and the grain pattern is petty close to yours,

[Yoder409]

That was kinda my thoughts, but................

I only live a little ways from where the original Penn's Woods company was.  I knew they had bought the Turpin rights.  But the only ones I knew of them to do were either "True Tone" or "Roger Latham True Tone" calls, both of which were highly adorned with gold screen printing.


This one had/has me puzzled.

[CMBOSTC]

Looks like a Turpin family predecessor to Roger Latham's True Tone.  He bought the rights to the Tom Turpin calls.

Now that you say that, I would have to agree with you. It does look like a True Tone.

[Yoder409]

the paddle looks like breech.  I have one made by steve back in 2005 and the grain pattern is petty close to yours,

The paddle very well could be beech.  But the accompanying box and instruction paper appear to date quite a great deal before 2005.....................

[Yoder409]

Call Steve Turpin.

Do you, by chance, have his phone # ??

[doublespurs21]

 on my roger latham true tone,  the front of the paddle looks just like your (when the screw is). the small little angle cut on the edge. on my turpin , that small angle cut is not there.also the turpin measures at 8 1/8 long and the latham is 73/4 inches long.

[Yoder409]

OK......................

Found a number and just spent a VERY enjoyable bit of time on the phone with Mr. Steve Turpin.  What a SUPER nice fellow !!!!!

He said, "It is my opinion................"   that the call I have is an actual Roger Latham made predecessor to the Penn's Woods made True-Tone and Roger Latham True Tone boxes.   Either mad just prior to, during, or just after Penns Woods purchase of all the Roger Latham and Tom Turpin name rights.


Mr. Turpin said that the paddle is beech and he's not sure what the box is hewn from.
 

[CMBOSTC]

Good stuff, I was just going to send you his phone number. I wouldn't have guessed Beech though.

[Yoder409]

Good stuff, I was just going to send you his phone number. I wouldn't have guessed Beech though.

Thank you so much for tossing me that lead....................

MUCH APPRECIATED !!!!!!!!

[CMBOSTC]

No problem, I had read that Steve gets this kind of stuff a lot.

[Yoder409]

No problem, I had read that Steve gets this kind of stuff a lot.

He is a very gracious man and loves to talk turkey !!

A JOY !!!!