Cool vintage Silvertone guitar with the original amp‑in‑case. This set is in what we feel is excellent cosmetic and playing condition for its age. The guitar, case, and amp function, and the wrap‑around body material is intact. Plenty of honest age, but everything is solid — see photos.

The amp‑in‑case is also in unusually good condition. The exterior, interior, handle, and hardware are all far better than what we typically see on these sets. Nothing is falling apart, frayed, or deteriorating. Again, check the photos — this is one of the cleanest examples we’ve had.

A great vintage Silvertone package that’s getting harder to find in this kind of shape.

When Harmony was owned by Sears

Harmony was founded in 1892, but the key dates are:

• 1916 — Sears buys Harmony to meet exploding demand for ukuleles and fretted instruments.
• 1940 — Sears sells Harmony, but Harmony continues building Silvertone guitars as an independent contractor.

This matters because many early Silvertone acoustics and archtops were Harmony‑built.

3. Danelectro enters the picture — the lipstick pickup era

Danelectro began supplying Sears in the 1950s–1960s, creating the most iconic Silvertone electrics:

The Lipstick Tube Pickup

Nathan Daniel (Danelectro founder) famously used surplus lipstick tubes as pickup housings — cheap, durable, and uniquely bright‑sounding.

The Wood “Corral” Bridge

Many Danelectro/Silvertone models used:

• A simple wooden saddle
• Mounted on a metal plate This gave the guitar a raw, twangy tone and kept costs extremely low.

Key Models

• Silvertone 1448 — single lipstick pickup, amp built into the case
• Silvertone 1457 — two lipstick pickups, upgraded amp‑in‑case

These were sold as complete beginner packages: guitar + case + amplifier.

4. The Amp‑in‑Case — when it was made

The famous amp‑in‑case models were produced in the early to mid‑1960s.

The 1457 (example cited in sources) featured:

• Danelectro lipstick pickups
• 5‑watt tube amp
• 8‑inch speaker
• Tremolo

These were sold exclusively through the Sears catalog, making them one of the most widely distributed beginner electric guitar packages in U.S. history.

We listed and graded this set as “Good” on Reverb’s condition scale, even though we personally feel it’s in excellent cosmetic and playing condition for its age. We’ve found it necessary to grade vintage items below their true condition so there’s no room for someone to argue condition or try to renegotiate after delivery. Even many YouTubers now advise sellers to never list vintage gear as “Mint” or “Excellent,” because buyers can use those higher grades to push for extra discounts or force the seller to eat round‑trip shipping.