Hensel Mandolin, c.a. 1940

[s1m0n]

I have a mandolin I found in a junk shop with an unusual chip-carved headstock: the maker (Hensel?) carved his name and the model name in inset relief between the tuning pegs. The dealer/luthier who set it up for me indentified it as being the work of one Arthur Hensel, a luthier who made guitars and mandolins in Toronto in the forties. I have no idea how he knew this, but he did show me another, a guitar someone had brought in for a tune up.

I haven't been able to learn anything else about the maker. Does anyone know anything about him?

There's a Hensel guitar in this mammoth lot of miscellaneous instruments:
http://www.insightsconsulting.biz/Instruments/musicoll.htm --number 161, if you scroll down (There's also an early Gibson mandola, if you're curious, and soem very old guitars), but no information, although the pic does show his signature technique.

My mandolin has "artist" across the top, and "Hensel" between the pegs, as well as a flower or rose in a losenge. My informant tells me that "artist" was the name of the model.

I'd be grateful for any more info.

[s1m0n]

I have a picture of the carving, but I can't work out how to upload it. Does it need to be online somewhere, first?

[Eugene]

To upload an image, click "ADD REPLY." #There will be a browse button to search your machine for a file to upload. #Do not use the preview feature or it will negate your filling in of the upload box.

I know Dr. Heck, the proprietor of Insights; he used to head the music library at The Ohio State University (I work at OSU) and is a very well-respected scholar of classical guitar and music iconography. #I have corresponded with him regarding a couple pieces in that collection.

Unfortunately, I know no more of Hensel than you've already written. #I know of the guitars but have never seen one. #I've never heard of a mandolin by Hensel.