Nicolai Foss
German Ebay is always interesting to check out:
Here is one of the those characteristically over the top, German 1950s archtops.
This is a strange case: The label inside the guitar says “Selmer, Paris”. The sales text does not explicitly say that this is a Selmer (in which case one would expect the “Startpreis” to be many times higher). Hmmm ….
But there are no bargains this time. In fact, there seldom are, consistent with the finding that most stuff on Ebay sells for more than what it sells for in the stores.
Jazz&Archtops 
November 8, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Hi Nicolai,
Thats right some guitars are dearer on E-Bay than what you can buy them in a store as some buyers get engrossed in the auction more than the product. However, Just look what I bought on E-Bay this year. http://archtopguitarsandbooks.com/product.php?id_product=187 A Bauer. I have never heard of them before so I hope you can give me some feed back Nicolai. It’s from the same period as my Ibanez Salvador and it is interesting to see how the Japanese in the 50’s were very strongly influienced by these European makers.
Thank you Richard from archtopguitars.com.au
November 9, 2009 at 11:34 am
I, too, have never heard of them before. It appears to be a bit of a mystery guitar. No info (that I could find) on ebay, except a German guy asking for info about his Bauer guitar. I am busy today, but the design does remind me of certain German builders, so perhaps this was a guitar built under a label specific to a department store or a music store (as was the case with many US builders), and I will check up on this,
November 9, 2009 at 12:46 pm
It’s interesting that you should say that about guitars being built under a label specific to a department store or music store. This guitar has got the name “Original Bauer” embossed on the back up near the neck joint. I have found an article on a George Bauer 1890 -1910 from Philadelphia who made guitars for Stewart who sold them to Sears Roebuck. Is it possible that this guitar was built by him and found it’s way to Germany? It has a sticker on the head stock with Enrich Lange on it and this looks like a German shop dealers sticker.The guitar does not look like it was played much. It does look like it has just aged with age. Any information would be appreciated.
November 9, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I think the possibility you mention here is highly unlikely. Your Bauer guitar is a typical 1950s German archtop. Apparently, Bauer-the-German-American-builder, was only active 1890-1910.
It may be a DDR guitar (like Musina)