What ever happened to Keith Harris? I think I vaguely heard that he came down with a dread disease that stopped his playing.
I thought about that LP but the postage to the US would be more than the bid price.
Jim
What ever happened to Keith Harris? I think I vaguely heard that he came down with a dread disease that stopped his playing.
I thought about that LP but the postage to the US would be more than the bid price.
Jim
Jim
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Indeed. He's conducting a mandolin orchestra in Germany now. The ex-guitar teacher of a German friend of mine who now lives here in Ohio is playing with Mr. Harris's orchestra. I can ask her for details if somebody else doesn't beat me to posting a few.Originally Posted by (jgarber @ June 12 2004, 21:48)
Hello Jim & Eugene,
Jim you are right; Keith suffers from a muscle disease and stopped because of that with performing. His activities concerning conducting and teaching however have been and still are fantastic and of the highest level.
To name a few orchestras he works and/or worked with here some names: The European Youth Orchestra of the EGMA; The Louisville Mandolin Orchestra (US); The Mandolin Orchestra of Patras (Greece); The Hessischen Zupforchester (Germany) and The Sydney Mandolin Orchestra. #
I remember, accompanying Sebastiaan de Grebber who had subscribed to a day-course lead by Keith, that he - as he told me afterwards - immediately saw the possibilities of young Sebastiaan (than only about 10 years old). Personally I think that meeting with Keith was very important. We knew of course his fine playing from the LP record (mentioned above) but to really talk with- and learn from him was absolutely a great experience.
Later the two of us met Keith - always in great friendship - on several occasions like the prestigious International ´Raffaele Calace Concorso per Mandolino Solo´ in Bologna 2000 (organized by the FMI (Federazione Mandolinistica Italiana) & the EGMA (the European Guitar and Mandolin Association) where Sebastiaan was the youngest amongst the finalists and last year when our Mandolin Orchestra ´HET CONSORT´ gave a performance during the International Concours in Koslar (Germany).
So Keith is still quite busy and an esteemed person in the Mandolin World.
Besides the Mandolin/Piano record Keith Harris also made a recording of Hummel´s Mandolin Concerto accompanied by the State Chamber Orchestra of Zilina.
Greetings,
Alex
To learn more about the activities of Keith Harris read for instance this on the Webpage of the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra and Google with +Keith Harris +mandolin. I´m sure you will find out more.
Yet another, but beautiful in its simplicity, Calace.
Jim
Jim
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Hi Jim And BobA (and others),
I whould say: That´s one to go for!
All original (except for the bridge) and it appears to be in fine and playing condition. I owe a 1914 example of this very same model that both of you (I know you have the CD) can hear on HET CONSORT 1st “Aranci in Fiore” CD (track 5 ´Rondo´ Op.127 by Raffaele Calace and track 9-10 ´Adagio & Allegro´ by Carlo Malizia, both works are for Mandolin and Mand. Orchestra) played by Sebastiaan de Grebber. #
For others who like to hear this Calace model click here and than on the track numbers of The CONSORT Sample Webpage.
It is of course very much a matter of taste, but this model is probably one of the finest in sound and appearence of that time. Not so heavy build and with a brilliant, clear well balanced sound. Personally I like this model, the Raffaele Calace ´900 Brevettato´ and the ´light headed´ version of the Calace ´Classico´ very much.
Greetings,
Alex
I'm intrigued by the two holes in front of the bridge. My German-built 1920s/30s Majestic (roundhole Portuguese-style) also has two holes of similar size, originally with inserts similar to those on the Calace. However, on the Majestic, they are well away from the bridge off to one side, about halfway between the bridge and the rim on the bass side. Are they a Calace invention? Anybody know what the reasoning for their presence is (same reason for the noble Calace as for my pedestrian Majestic)?
Martin
Martin, there have been speculative discussions of this before but, alas, no substantive, definitive answers.
Visually, of course, the dots are quite pleasing and, by way of a marker-like function, they demarcate (roughly) the desired positioning of the bridge— in relation, that is, to where they themselves are located on the top.
Acoustically, I doubt that they contribute in any significant way to projection; I just cannot see why/how they would. Someone (I forget who right now) even speculated that there might have existed some sort of add-on mute at some point, whose two prongs were to be inserted in the two holes and thus supported, in contact with the bridge— I find this rather far-fetched, to say the least.
Hey, I may be ignorant, but at least I'm also skeptical!(I suppose that beats ignorant and gullible)
My assessment, in one word, would be: Decorative. Then again, I am always happy to be corrected, and thereby educated.
It is not man who lives, but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
Hi Alex,
what do you mean by "light headed" version of Calace Classico? Type A with a slotted (not solid) headstock, or the plainer styles B-D with the simpler headstock?
Thanks for your very interesting comments above.
greetings, Arto
Yet another Calace on ebay. The latest looks in need of restoration; the one linked above still has no bids, but a lot of email to seller.
I'm contemplating a bid on the Aussie instrument, but I'm not interested in a bidding war with anyone on this site. If anyone here has their heart set on it maybe we should talk offline?
Frankly, I wish there were enough of these things around that one could just go and buy one.
Hello Arto,
I will look if I can find an image of the headstock of the ´light headed´ version of the Calace ´Classico´ for you.
Best,
Alex.
This is a Classico A from a Japanese site.
Jim
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Speaking of "light-headed," here is a headless 1898 Vinaccia. This will proib go for a few hundred as is.
The Calace in bad shape went for over $600.
Jim
Jim
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Looking at this Vinaccia prompts a question. I am currently fixing up a Vinaccia clone (D'Isanto) very similar to this Vinaccia. It has the same four ivory/bone pegs to secure the strings at the bottom of the body. However there appears to be nothing to stop the strings cutting into the wood at the edge of the bowl, yet there is no evidence to show this has happened before. Should there be a small metal piece here, or perhaps a piece of felt under the strings? Any suggestions?
Marc
www.belmando.com
The headless Vinaccia went for $260. #While that's about the same as I paid for my playable Ceccherini, I feel that the seller did himself a disservice by not realising that he had a Vinaccia -- the only way to find out was to look at the photo of the label, which quite clearly said "Vinaccia" but from which the seller only took the prefix "Fratelli". #Still, that's some serious restoring to do to fit a headstock. #The nut still seems to be there, so maybe it's possible to keep the existing neck and "just" splice on a new headstock, but even so it seems like a vast amount of work with uncertain outcome (the remaining neck might be splintered and/or bent).
Martin
Hi Marc,
For this model with ivory/bone pegs to secure the (light) strings at the bottom of the body, the hard ivory/ivorite or bone outer lining (the edge) of the soundboard was seen as sufficient.
Greetings,
Alex
Here is an interesting museum page. Unfortinately there is little info on each one.
Esp unusual is the "19th rosewood back# ribs into the neck."
Scary is the "Rare 16 string mandolin C1860"
Jim
Jim
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Hi Alex,
the edge of the soundboard on my instrument is rosewood. This itself may be hard enough to resist the cutting power of the strings to some extent, however it shows no indication that the strings have been cutting into it in the past. There is some fret wear so I know the instrument has been strung and played for some of its 117 years.
I wondered if there is some small metal plate -perhaps tortoiseshell- missing (although there is no indication that there was ever such a thing on the instrument)?
Marc
I figured that the seller was clueless but the bidders were not. Anyone can see who made that one, or at least who made the label.
I think the general rule of thumb is that a basket case instrument like this would prob be worht not more than half of what the same instrument would be worth if it were intact. A competent luthier would prob charge about $1000 or more to restore this to playability. Hard to say if it would be worth it. Who know what else is wrong with it. I would take the Ceccherini over this one at that price.
Jim
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I've got to agree with Jim on this. If this mandolin were just an unnamed basket case it would probably have fetched little more than 50 dollars at best for a project piece for someone starting out in instrument repairs. Its the Vinaccia name that makes the difference. I've even seen a Vinaccia with only a fragment of the label left (and not the bit that said 'Vinaccia'on it but just the words 'Fratelli' and part of the address) fetch good money because the bidder knew what he was buying.
The bidders on ebay are a pretty expert bunch and I've come to the conclusion that you rarely get a bargain on ebay - the competition from other knowledgable bidders is too great! I've just strung up a Pasquale Angara & Pasquale D'Isanto (Allievi di Vinaccia) dating from 1887 - I paid £20 from an antique/junk shop in Plymouth - I'd have paid a lot more on ebay!
Marc
www.belmando.com
Marc:
I found this Angara e D'Isanto in my jpeg collection. It sold on eBay last year. I am not sure what the final was but I am sure it was considerably more than £20.
There is some sort of bone (?) piece where the strings go over the edge of the top from the tailpiece. I am not sure if that is original or added by an owner. Then again, it could be a piece of felt. It is difficult to tell from the photo.
Jim
Jim
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Thanks Jim, that's very useful - I was sure there must be something to defend against the strings biting in, 'though as you say it's hard to tell if it's bone or felt. My instrument is very similar except it has the classic Vinaccia style pearl/ebony dots either side of the bridge and may be slightly narrower in the width of the body although it's hard to tell.
Marc
I'm sure that the bidders knew exactly what they were bidding on -- no-name wrecks don't make that sort of money. I'm just thinking that several potential bidders never looked at the photos of the label because the description and the thumbnail photo would have been really off-putting for all but the most-dedicated.
I certainly don't think I'd swap with the Ceccherini (which keeps improving in tone -- I'm ever more awestruck the more I play it).
Martin
Yes, I like uneducated sellers the most - your best chance of a bargain is where most people won't have looked. For example I bought my Vega Pettine Special on the rebound after having narrowly missed an Embergher concert model (fluted ribs scroll headstock etc) which sold for around 550 dollars if I remember rightly. It had been listed as a lute and didn't show up at all as a 'mandolin' - it was only the Embergher searchword that pulled it up. I seem to think the winning bidder was Max McCollough, who many here will know.
Marc
The other problem on eBay is spelling. Think of quite a few variations on Embergher, for instance. There is a seller who seems to have acquired an large quantity of instruments by Joseph Bohmann but who lists every mandolin and violin as being made by Bowman. You would think he would look at the label once.
Then of course, there are the ubiquitous Fratelli mandolins
Jim
Jim
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Marc:
This Angara & Disanto just came up on eBay. The seller will only ship to the UK. Looks pretty good but there is a strange tailpiece cover. I would guess that that was an addition by the owner so that he would not get his cuff caught on the string ends. it looks sort of plastic and not the sort of substance that would be in existence in 1891.
Jim
Jim
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