Century-old American bowl-backs are not uncommon, and can be purchased for anywhere from less than $100 up to several hundred dollars, depending on condition and original quality.
Its relatively plain design, and the fact that the bowl has fewer than a dozen ribs, suggest it was a basic model. Fairbanks" label suggests your mandolin was built between 18. Fairbanks built, or contracted with others for, mandolins as well, and the "A.C. Fairbanks, banjo virtuoso, began building banjos in Boston around 1875, partnered with William Cole in 1880, went "solo" again in 1890, was burned out, and the company sold to Vega Co., in 1904. All this is irrelevant to discussion of the Fairbanks A.C. On the other hand, George Lewis Orme (address listed as Ottawa Ontario) apparently ran a manufacturing business, which could have built the Howe-Ormes. was a Boston music store, not primarily a manufacturer Howe-Orme instruments have some features of Vega instruments, which has led to speculation that Vega built them. It's hard to say if the instrument "could have been made by Howe-Orme," as there's a certain level of uncertainty as to who actually made the instruments labelel "Howe-Orme." Elias Howe Music Co. The one shown here, judging by its lack of ornamentation, is probably one of their basic models.
While most noted for banjos, Fairbanks also built other instruments, including a line of mandolins. The Fairbanks/Cole/Vega company, or succession of companies, was one of the major instrument builders in Boston just before the turn of the 20th century. A Fairbanks Regent mandolin is shown in this article on Howe-Orme instruments, and described as " Boston-built instrument roughly contemporary" with an 1890's Howe-Orme.
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