Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)

[Jim Garber]

I won't swear on it but it looks more like a 1977 than a 1922. I have a 1974 Calace mandola and the finish looks like this one. I have had a couple of 20's mandolins but they look different.

[Beanzy]

Fingers crossed the filling & re-slotting is ok (the upper a slot had been cut too deep). I have another one fitted at the moment while the one in the photo sets. It's in ebony with a brass insert, but the tone isn't as full sounding as the rosewood /bone one due to the harder materials. The main thing is it sounds super with the bridge in the pic so I'm working from a great reference point, and any alternatives for looks have to shape up to that before they pass muster.

My hunch is '70s like you say; as the finish on the fretboard definitely looks a bit 'Friday afternoon' / valpolicella influenced and I've read comments saying things weren't the most 'finished' during that phase. The second fret M.O.P and fret are aligned like grandpas dentures too.

[Jim Garber]

Eoin: do you make your own bridges? If not, Dave Hynds makes some nice ones. I would go for a compensated ebony/bone one. Not fond of a brass saddle. Too metallic.

[Tavy]

Eoin: do you make your own bridges? If not, Dave Hynds makes some nice ones. I would go for a compensated ebony/bone one. Not fond of a brass saddle. Too metallic.

I like to think I do too, and Eoin's just round the corner from me... just saying

[Jim Garber]

Sorry, John....

[peterk]

Here's a mandolin which was repaired by R.A. Mango, NYC (in 1930s ?) which I have just started fixing a bit. A label by Mango is stuck inside the bowl, perhaps on top of the maker's label ? Eeither way, the mandolin is anonymous for now.
I am half way thru with cleaning the headstock as well as the tuning machines, and there is still a fair amount of work to be done. The mandolin might need some fret levelling/shimming, not sure yet.
While the instrument is relatively austere wrt MOP ornaments, I kind of like the tunner pin bushings made of MOP.

[Jim Garber]

That is beautiful, Peter. Definitely Italian, prob Napoli, possibly Vinaccia. I have seen that bug on (I thought) of of the Vinaccias but can't seem to find it. Of course, inlay is not much of a clue to maker since they often bought from a third-party inlay catalog.

I asked in the builder's section how to carefully remove a glued-over label and not damage the one underneath. it can be done. Mostly they sad start with an application of a damp cloth and see what happens.

[peterk]

That is beautiful, Peter. Definitely Italian, prob Napoli, possibly Vinaccia. I have seen that bug on (I thought) of of the Vinaccias but can't seem to find it. Of course, inlay is not much of a clue to maker since they often bought from a third-party inlay catalog.

I asked in the builder's section ho to carefully remove a glued-over label and not damage the one underneath. it can be done. Mostly they sad start with an application of a damp cloth and see what happens.

Thank you Jim, I also think that the mandolin may have some Vinaccia elements:

(1) The headstock shape, particularly the simplified classic pediment volutes.
(2) The bug in the scratch plate corner.
(3) Scratch plate outline (scalloping)
(4) The skirt: scalloping, tulipwood binding.
(5) Soundhole rosette: small and simple, but with very fine and uncommon MOP elements.

The only component I am very unsure about is the tailpiece with the hinged armrest.....I can not recall that type from a few Vinaccia instruments I've seen on the net.

[Jim Garber]

T
The only component I am very unsure about is the tailpiece with the hinged armrest.....I can not recall that type from a few Vinaccia instruments I've seen on the net.

Tailpiece is not original, I am pretty sure. I agree with the others tho Vegas and Martins and prob a few others have similar peghead shapes with that cutout.

[peterk]

Yes, you are of course right about the headstock shape....not very uncommon.
In addition, when I removed the tailpiece, the wood underneath showed some evidence of a retrofit.

There is something funny about the label inside.......I'll take a shot of it momentarily.

It almost looks like he hand wrote "Repaired by" as an afterthought, with a pencil, just before sticking the label inside the mandolin. Perhaps it occurred to him that his label alone might have been interpreted that he made the instrument himself. It would have been so nice if he added the date of the repair completion. As far as the maker's label is concerned, it might be underneath, or not.

Incidentally, at the bottom of Mango's label he proudly states: "Repairing artistically done."

[Jim Garber]

Just got this Embergher No. 1 today and took some quick pics. I can't tell the year since the store in Zurich pasted their label over the original Embergher one (just like Mr. Mango above).

I stupidly forgot to take a full-length photo of the back, but you get the idea.

The thins is dirty but should clean up pretty well. Someone did try to fill the back crack in the bowl and glue the scratchplate down with carpenters glue. There is a small separation on the bass side of the tailpiece. otherwise, structurally it looks like it is in good shape. The neck angel looks pretty good. The original bar frets need to be worked on to make it play well. The top looks quite nice. There is some light coming thru the bowl so possibly that may need to be looked at as well.

This is the original bridge. Embergher made many of the bridge with that "butterfly cut" so it would contour to the top of the mandolin easier -- I guess if the top geometry changes over time or with the weather the bridge would also change with it.

[peterk]

Good grief, Jim, what a lovely mandolin......that thing is in excellent state of preservation.
Two hundred dollars you say ? I feel it, it's coming: I shall start sobbing uncontrollably any moment now.

Here are a few shots of my "Belcanto" Embergher.

[Martin Veit]

Jim, thats a very fine mandolin. Yummie!

And Peter, do you know, what my thought is?
I would take off the frontside "Belcanto"-plate very carefully.
So, that you can replace it anytime without harm.
Maybe there is the original embergher-branding beyond.

[peterk]

Jim, thats a very fine mandolin. Yummie!

And Peter, do you know, what my thought is?
I would take off the frontside "Belcanto"-plate very carefully.
So, that you can replace it anytime without harm.
Maybe there is the original embergher-branding beyond.

Now, thank you, I didn't even think of that.......I'll remove the "Belcanto" as well as "Hofmann" boilerplate, just to be sure that no Embergher stamp is hidden behind.

[Jim Garber]

Hah! I would answer to the question: "Luigee Emburger?" Yes, absolutely but not Luigi Embergher, no, definitely not, close but no ceegar.

[Jim Garber]

Sorry Peter and Martin. Hofman may have had some connection with Embergher but that is not an Embergher -- at least I have never seen one that looked like that.

[Martin Veit]

Hah - Jim! Just wait and see!
Sometime we will win

[Jim Garber]

Sure, Martin. Keep posting photos. The ones I have seen in the German catalogs I have are copies, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

[brunello97]

Hah! I would answer to the question: "Luigee Emburger?" Yes, absolutely but not Luigi Embergher, no, definitely not, close but no ceegar.

This never gets old:



Mick

[Jim Garber]

Hah - Jim! Just wait and see!
Sometime we will win

You may be right... I spoke to an expert on Emberghers and he told me that there are some genuine Embergher mandolins that were made for Emil Hofmann ones with only an Emil Hofmann label (or no label at all). Also, sometimes there is an original Embergher label and an additional E. Hofmann label. He also mentioned that Hofmann carried Embergher copies (like PeterK's Belcanrto that were not made by the Embergher workshop.

PeterK noticed another Embergher copy on this thread.

Hey, you learn something new everyday. I would love to see some examples of the genuine Emberghers with Hofmann label.

[Martin Veit]

Jim, you make my day

[Jim Garber]

Now, you just have to find one of those Emberghers disguised as Hofmanns.

[Martin Veit]

Let me take a sharp look at the belcanto/Hofmann mandolin,
which my orchestra-companion is playing.
Hey, keep your fingers crossed for me

..uhm - the guys at embergher didn't mention something about that bass?

[Jim Garber]

Martin: My friend said that the Belcanto instruments were not made by Embergher.

[Martin Veit]

Okay, it's a pity therefor.

But, which brand is it?

I have to do a good look into this cabinet where the bass has rested a long time.
One of the old menbers of our orchestra told me, that this cabinet was made espacialy for the bass.
Maybe there are some old signs.