Bowlbacks of Note

[vkioulaphides]

Your English is not bad at all!

Indeed, Kopeliades was another top-notch Greek luthier of yesteryear, and some of his instruments have ended up in museums. Some are featured in Anogianakis' beautifully illustrated book, which I suspect you have in your library, as I do in mine.

I am also familiar with some bouzoukis from the shop of Zozef (Terzivassian), but not the ebony-bowled one you mention. You are absolutely right about walnut baglamades being common (I have one, in fact ) Sotirios Bras (among others) does make some ebony-bowled ones, as his "higher end" instruments. You are also right: the really cheap baglamades sold at tourist-traps in Monastiraki seem like they're made of... cork!

So... bendable ebony. You learn something every day...

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

Giannis: Your English is just fine. No need to apologize. Is that beautiful mandolin yours? Will you restore it? What is that white stuff in the front? Tape residue?

It looks like Mourtzinos made that mandolin according to neapolitan methods of construction as opposed to what I have heard are the Greek methods. Interesting. The photos do look like rosewood for the bowl, but perhaps the photos are deceiving. I am sure that ebony can be used if thinned properly.

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

Unfortunatelly is not mine.It belongs to a friend who is not interest to restore it right now.The white marks are from a tape,you are right.
This is one of the two ebony mandolins that Mourtzinos made.Is french polished (about a century ago)and that actually doesn't help to recognize the ebony.
Mourtzinos also made a mandolin with tortoise shell body,like embergher i think.He had in front of his store and people came by to see it.(I have read that in a 1907 newspaper)

[Jim Garber]

victor and Giannis: What is this book by Anogianakis?

[vkioulaphides]

victor and Giannis: What is this book by Anogianakis?

Well, Jim... this question calls for a visit to East 81st Street.

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

I will be right over.

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

Here are two other mandolins.The first one is Mourtzinos (1908) plain rosewood model.The other one is Ioannis G.Stathopoulos (1907) who probably was Anastasios cousin.

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

so pleas some information on the festival .i might go.i'd love to see many of his instruments and i might bring one with me. .

If you come you will see many stathopoulo instruments,but is more possible to sell yours,than to buy one of them.Greek musicians love them

[nk70]

hi,
I live in Greece,Athens and I've found this old Washburn from a friend.He is not musician and wants to sell it.I'm interested to know which is the age and the value of this instrument.There is a Washburn label inside writing A-9590.

As u can see it is very well decorated and i suppose it was an expensive model of washburn.The mandolin needs some fretwork..but it's in a good condition..

there are also missing some pieces of decoration inlay around the top(sorry for my english).Searching in this forum i guess it is a model 1125 but the back is more than 50 ribs as u can see in the pics.
.At this time the mandolin needs restoration so i cannot have a specific idea about the sound.Does it worth restoration or it's most a piece for collectors?

[Bob A]

As I mentioned in the other thread that you posted about this instrument, it depends.

In today's market you can't get much money for it, especially if the neck is broken. (It looks like it has a major fracture, in the picture ib the other thread). But if you want a pretty old mandolin, and can get it professionally repaired for a decent price, it might be worth it to YOU.

This was an expensive instrument at one time, but its day has passed. Trouble is, it's too nice to throw away, and not desireable enough to risk too expensive a restoration.

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

Beautifull piece.Go for it.

[nk70]

3500 euros...!!!! very expensive to me.....
i'm afraid it will stay a family antique for ever.....

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

Πες του να σοβαρευτεί λιγάκι!
Too much money

[nk70]

Συμφωνώ... μάλλον θα μεινει στη ντουλάπα του για παντα....δυστυχώς....!!!!
I guess it will remain just a family antique forever.......

[vkioulaphides]

Yes, that is exactly the kind of instrument that belongs in... το χρονοντούλαπο της ιστορίας --for all non-Greeks, an expression from Greek politics that is quite impossible to translate: the "time-closet of History".

3500 euros, indeed!

[Jim Garber]

It may be a model 1125 but it almost goes over that very ornate model, so I would say it is probably a custom or presentation instrument. in that case, it is worth more as an artifact than a playable instrument. Plus those pearl fretboards I hear are a bear to deal with in terms of fretwork.

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

THere is another Italian Bowlback (1898)that came to my workshop for restoration yesterday.It's in pretty bad condition but the guy who has it wants to repair it.
I will post more pictures when i finish restoration.

[Jake Wildwood]

Ugh, brutal on the repair job -- those are the kind of jobs I simply dissuade people from when they come to me with one like that.

[vkioulaphides]

Indeed. Even resurrection has its limits...

St. Victor the Skeptic

[brunello97]

Calling Dave Hyndes........This job almost appears to small for him :-)

Mick

[Giannis Tsoulogiannis]

Well its a difficult task,but i have done something similar berofe.
We will see which point restoration can reach.
Is a challenge.

[nk70]

hi Jim
i've seen in one of your posts an old catalog of washburn models... do u have the one for 1125?do u know which was the production year of this model(1125)..?it might help me to find the age of this mandolin.. you are right about pearl fretboards but here in Greece there are some luthiers very experienced in this kind of fretwork and could repair it in a nice way.
thank you
Nikos

[vkioulaphides]

Indeed, (top-of-the-line) Greek bouzoukis often have pearly fingerboards, and consequently Greek luthiers would have no great problems doing fret-work on them.

The stumbling-block, however, continues to be the outrageous, astronomical asking-price. If you already owned the instrument --or, of course, if the price were 10-15% of what it is-- THEN you could get into the whole question of a quality, professional restoration.

Has the seller, so to speak... seen the light? Does HE know anything about the pricing of vintage bowlbacks? I doubt it...

Best of luck, anyway.

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο.

Victor

[nk70]

tommorow i'll visit the luthier with the owner of the mandolin...talking to the phone he told me it wouldn't be a big trouble for him to repair a pearl fretboard...he has already constructed some bouzoukis copies of G.Zambeta's bouzouki (Zozef)... he has also repaired many old bouzoukis,mandolins and lutes... i agree the problem is the price.......i'll try to lower the price tommorow...
καλό Σαββατοκύριακο και σε σένα
Nikos

[Jim Garber]

Here is a catalog page from my 1912 L&H catalog for the model 1125. As you can see it is ornate but the one you picture is different, esp around the pickguard. I would love to see some clearer digital pics than the ones you posted, Nikos. if you like, you can send them directly to me.