Bowlbacks of Note

**etbarbaric** · Jan-05-2005, 8:21am

OK... I'll bite. I've bid on the Monzino Lombardian. It seems typical of the form, though it will clearly need some restoration. My wife's family ancestory sports the name "Monzingo" (they think its French-derived). I harbor the fantasy that the name is really a modification on Monzino... Maybe with that connection I can get the thing in the door without fear of retribution... :-)

Eric

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-05-2005, 8:34am

Good luck, Eric!

Sure, Monzingo, Monzino... what the heck? Besides, you have a fine example to go by, as this seller offers a plethora of variants, e.g. Malano, Millano, and what have you, for the familiar metropolis, midway between Rome's possessions in Italia and those in Germania, hence Mediolanum, present-day M-i-l-a-n-o, "middle of the road".

Tell us how this goes.

**Jim Garber** · Jan-05-2005, 8:47am

Here is another example from the same workshop. I think that Carlo M had this one some time ago. I like the sausage-shaped soundhole and pickguard.

Jim

**RSW** · Jan-05-2005, 8:57am

Eric, go for it! I have one and they are well made and the sound, though guitar like, is a pleasant change from his wire strung cousin from Naples. You can cheat and use it for the Hoffmann quartets when playing with modern string players.

Richard

**etbarbaric** · Jan-05-2005, 9:42am

Thanks for the encouragement Richard. I thought I remembered you having a Monzino. I have an Albertini that I had restored (at great expense), and I like it quite well. I agree that Hoffmann works quite well on these instruments.

Does your Monzino have a scratch-plate? This one, interestingly, does not.

Best,

Eric

**RSW** · Jan-06-2005, 1:09am

Eric, I can't upload to web storage site so I'll send you some photos privately of my Monzino.... maybe you can post them here for the others. Cheers, Richard

**etbarbaric** · Jan-06-2005, 11:15am

Here is a composite of Richard's Monzino Lombardian mandolin (as he requested). Thanks for sharing the photos Richard, it is indeed lovely.

Best,

Eric

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-06-2005, 11:36am

Nice!

And (please forgive the recalcitrant), these are the ones tuned to G-B-E-A-D-G?

Meanwhile, said eBay item is climbing relentlessly... I meant well.

**etbarbaric** · Jan-06-2005, 11:49am

Hi Victor,

Yes, these are tuned just like a 6-course mandolino. In fact, they *are* six-course mandolinos, just with single, rather than doubled courses.

This was the final incarnation of the mandolino, surviving well into the last century. In fact, you can see them being played right along side the Neapolitan instruments of the day (there are three or four in the the jacket photo on Paul Sparks' "The Classical Mandolin", (the Reale circolo mandolinisti, Regina Margherita, Florence 1892)).

And yes... someone else seems interested in this particular instrument in addition to myself. I hate when that happens... :-).

Best,

Eric

**Martin Jonas** · Jan-07-2005, 7:28am

Here is a curiosity. I've heard some mention in the forum of aluminium bowls but hadn't seen one before. This one here, said to be from Egypt, is obviously a wreck, but I'd be curious whether anybody had any experience with a playable aluminium bowl. If it stays unsold, maybe someone wants to make an offer for the bridge on its own, which looks a standard Neapolitan-style one.

Martin

**Jim Garber** · Jan-07-2005, 7:53am

As to aluminium (or as we over here say, aluminum, for some reason) bowls, I had a Merrill bowlback quite a few years back. I sold it way before I was into bowlbacks. They do not sound so bad. A little ringy as you may imagine.

I have never seen an Italian one in the DeMeglio style and from Egypt. no less.

Hard to tell what the bridge is or whether it would be worth it just for the bridge.

Jim

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-07-2005, 12:22pm

Oh, I recall a wealthy dilettante who was proudly name-dropping, going through all her fellow-alumini from an Ivy League institution.

I'd stick to wood.

**jasona** · Jan-07-2005, 10:59pm

*groans*

**Bob A** · Jan-08-2005, 10:29am

I've seen a Merrill aluminium bowlback, years ago. I'd love to get one in decent shape. By all reports, they sound better than you'd imagine.

Shouldn't it be fellow-alumina? (Feminine)

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-08-2005, 1:15pm

Oh, I meant plural masculine/collective. But, as the effect was more one of tin-headedness, cassitera may have been the appropriate, metallic reference.

I'd still stick to dulce lignum for mandolins, though.

**Bob A** · Jan-08-2005, 2:58pm

My mistake - aluminae would be plural. I must be a bit disordered from eating crassiteria cooking.

**Martin Jonas** · Jan-09-2005, 4:13pm

A link to another aluminium bowl has just been posted on the general forum. This one looks stunning: all aluminium, including top and neck. I can't see how this works -- presumably the top doesn't do much oscilliating and there seems to be no resonator to produce a tone. At least this construction should eliminate most structural issues: an aluminium neck joint may well fail completely, but probably won't need a reset.

Martin

**Jim Garber** · Jan-09-2005, 6:20pm

The Merrill I had has a spruce canted top and sounded pretty decent. That Hutchins is prob more of a novelty tho the back and top are nicely engraved.

Here is another Hutchins that appeared on ebay in November of 2003.

Jim

**Plamen Ivanov** · Jan-10-2005, 9:47am

Hello,

Here is an interesting Puglisi. Looks like master model with fingerboard extension, armrest, mother of pearl bars and pickguard frayed of picking.

**Jim Garber** · Jan-10-2005, 9:59am

Plami:
Is that one for sale or from this guy's collection? It looks nice but certainly needs some work.

There is another of this mandolin photo here.

Jim

**Plamen Ivanov** · Jan-10-2005, 11:44am

Everything, that I know about this mandolin is, what I found on the site itself. The mandolin belonged to Robert Normann`s father. May be if I try to contact the Robert Normann society I could find out more about this Puglisi`s fortune.

I just sent them a question.

**onthefiddle** · Jan-11-2005, 12:55pm

Here is another instrument requiring a lot of professional restoration, what do you think about the label - is it genuine?

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-11-2005, 1:01pm

Part of the answer is another question: Are you (i.e. the potential buyer) a luthier yourself? The point being that the cost of this restoration would be ENORMOUS! So, even if the credentials of the instrument are OK, and if you acquire it for, say, $100, plan on 10-15 times over that for a full restoration, IF such restoration is possible at all.

**onthefiddle** · Jan-11-2005, 1:07pm

This mandolin could definitely be restored - you would be amazed at what can be done if the instrument is worth it!
You are right about it being costly of course.
Unfortunately the seller won't ship outside the USA - so I can't pursue it.

**vkioulaphides** · Jan-11-2005, 1:15pm

Oh, well... Of course, yes, it can be restored; as you say correctly, the crucial issue is authenticity: a Strad in the form of toothpicks is still a Strad, and someone out there will undertake to restore it.

You could take the determinist or the stoic approach to this:

If you are assured of authenticity, and wish to acquire this instrument, I am sure that a US-based "proxy" could procure this on your behalf, on terms mutually agreed upon by yourself and said proxy.

If not, just shrug and walk away. It was sour grapes, anyhow... (instrument was too beat up, labor costs would have been staggering, seller only shipped within the U.S., etc. etc.)