MARTIN TIPLE T-45 model

Michael Simmons gave us an enigmatic historical fact in his brilliant 2002 tiple article from "The Ukulele Occasional" :

Interesting complement, Renée Adorée later strummed the uke with Ramon Navaro in the successful 1929 silent hit : "Pagan".



If Jimmy Chu the Renée "protégé", chauffeur and tiple maestro, died in a silly motor crash the luxuous T45 tiple wasn't in the car.
In fact the Martin productions reports a unique T45 fabrication in 1922 but the incredible fancy instrument is alive, for sale here for 17500,00 $ !

If Renée ordered this instrument for the hawaiian master, it's strange that the fancy mother of pearl and turtle decorated tiple made a huge travel via New York to join the west coat and Hollywood....the  T45 was built for the William J. Smith Co. of New York.