Bowlbacks of Note

[Bartk1448]

Bartk1448: can you post your list please. Or perhaps someone can ask for an updated one from Calace.

Here is the 2012 price list from Calace: The only ones I want are the classico A or the Annamaria and under the current exchange rate they are 3500 and 3800 USD. They have wood armrests and pickguards, all the rest have tortoiseshell which is some kind of plastic. I figure I'll let Calace know the next time I have close to $4000 sitting around not doing anything.

Dear Sirs,

We send you our catalogue and our price-list.
Our terms are the follow:

- payment: 1/2 (half) in advance and 1/2 (half) on delivery note.

- shipment: by insured air parcel post or by sender, (for few instru-
ments), by air-pakage for more instruments.

- prices: our prices are ex-works prices.

About Calace Music we specify that all free download
from www.federmandolino.it

With our best regards.
Calace Raffaele Jr.


Ditta Comm.Prof. RAFFAELE CALACE & Figlio
- di Arena Anna - Liuteria Classica Napoletana fondata nel 1825 -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vico S. Domenico Maggiore, 9 - 80134 NAPOLI (Italia) - tel.081-5515983
Internet: www.calace.it e-mail: racalace@tin.it fax 081-5528906


LISTINO PREZZI
(Price - List)
--------------
ANNO 2012

---------- MANDOLINS ---------
type n. 24 Euro 680,00
" " 24 Euro 730,00
" " 26 " 780,00
" " 13 " 1.130,00
" " 15 " 1.200,00
" " 16 Bis " 1.750,00
" Classico D " 2.000,00
" Classico C " 1.650,00
" Classico B " 1.200,00
" Classico A " 2.600,00
" Annamaria " 2.800,00
Hard-case x mandolin 120,00
Semi-hard case x m. 50,00
the following models are missing in the illustrated catalogue:

- type Classico D has the some channelled round bottom of Classico A;
head without engraved head. Ebony concert fingerboard with 29
freets under E.
- type Classico C has round bottom with 31 palisander channelled
ribs; concert ebony fingerboard with 29 frets under E.
- type Classico B has round bottom with 31 white maple not channelled;
concert ebony fingerboard with 29 frets under E.
- type Classico A has an engraved neck with: a) inside machine-head;
b) optional laterar side machine head;
- only on type Classico A, with extra price of Euro 300,00 is possible
to insert special inox 18/8 stell frets, more unconfortable,
but with a very long duration; only for concertist.
- only on type classico A, with extra price of Euro 300,00 is possible
to have a pearl decorated shield and ebony and pearl finger
board.

----------- MANDOLAS ---------
type n. 22 Euro 900,00
" " 24 " 1.000.00
" " 26 " 1.050.00
" " 13 " 1.520,00
" " 15 " 1.630,00
" " 16 Bis " 2.300,00
" Classico D " 2.600,00
" Classico C " 2.050,00
" Classico B " 1.600,00
" Classico A " 3.600,00
" Annamaria " 3.800,00
Hard-case x mandola 180,00
Semi-hard case 65,00

MANDOLONCELLOS (4 double strings: A,D,G,C)
e LIUTI CANTABILI (5 double strings: E,A,D,G,C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
type Classico A Euro 5.200,00: big round bottom with 41 channelled
ribs; head as mandolin Classico A.
Are awaible also with circular round big bottom so that the neck is
at 15th frets (instead of 12th)
type Classico B Euro 4.200,00 ; big round bottom with 41 ribs;
Are awaible also with circular round big bottom so that the neck is
at 15th frets (instead of 12th)
tipo 26 Euro 2.950,00 : with 25 ribs round bottom, more little.
tipo 22 Euro 2.800,00 : as type 26, wood pick-guard and external machine-heads


G U I T A R
-------------------
Type CLASSICA DA CONCERTO: formato grande, o medio, in palissandro
indiano sceltissimo, fascia alta, filettatura
in legno bosso alle fasce ed al fondo, meccani-
ca speciale, paletta intagliata o intarsiata,
tavola armonica in abete , due buche armoniche
nuovo sistema a correzione di fase per un suono
molto ricco di armoniche e con forte emissione
sonora .. .. . . . . Euro 3.600,00

Ex-works prices - Some pictures of mandolins are on our web page




Instrument's description:
(photos are awaiable on web-page www.calace.it)

Mandolins: (vibrant string cm.33,5 tuning E, A, D, G)
---------

type 24 : palisander round bottom 25 ribs, fine fir armonic flat,
palisander fingerboard with 24 frets under E, covered machinehead,
tortoise pick-plate, tortoise arm-guide.

type 26 : the some of n. 24 but with pearl decorated pick-plate with floral motif.

type 13 : extra palisander round bottom with 25 ribs, very fine fir armonic flat,
ebony fingerboard with 24 freets under E, fingerboard with mother of pearl at
frets 3,5,7,10,12 e 15, covered machine-heads, pearl decorated pick-plate and
head with fine floral motif - tortoise arm-guide.

type 15 : the some of n. 13 but with different decorated head and pick-plate.

type 16 bis: cuirasse from palisander channelled round bottom 33 ribs -
ebony and pearl fingerboard (as. n. 13) with 24 frets - covered machine-head
- iris and carnation decorated pick-plate and head.

type Classico D - White maple channelled round bottom 33 ribs - oval soundinghole
- open head with lateral machine-head - extra fir armonic flat - concert
fingerboard with 29 frets under E - tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

type Classico C - cuirasse from palisander channelled round bottom 33 ribs -
- oval soundinghole - covered machine head - extra fir armonic flat -
concert fingerboard with 29 frets under E - tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

type Classico B - White maple round bottom 31 ribs - oval soundinghole - covered
machine head - extra fir armonic flat - concert fingerboard with 29 frets under
E - tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

type Classico A - White maple channelled round bottom 33 ribs - oval soundinghole
- engraved neck with inside machine-head - extra fir armonic flat - concert
fingerboard with 29 frets under E - tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

Mandolas: (vibrant strings cm.43,5 - tuning in G or in C )
--------

the types are the some of the mandolins one - On demand it is possible
to have long vibrant strings cm.46 - The model Classico C, B and A have
fingerboard with 24 frets.

Mandoloncellos: (vibrant strings cm.61 - tuning A, D, G, C.)
--------------

type Classico B: White maple or palisander round bottom 25 ribs - medium size,
very confortable to play - oval soundinghole - open head with lateral
machine-head - extra fir armonic flat - concert fingerboard with 27 frets
under A - tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

type Classico A: White maple channelled round bottom 36 ribs - big size,
high level sound - oval soundinghole - engraved neck with inside machine-head
- extra fir armonic flat - concert fingerboard with 27 frets under A -
tortoise pick-plate and arm-guide

Liuti cantabili:
----------------
the type are the some of mandoloncello's one, but with 10
strings tuned E,A,D,G,C.

[vkioulaphides]

Annamaria is pretty enough, but fingerboards that go up to the 197th fret on the G-side are of limited usefulness, IMHO.

I play a humble Model 26, and am perfectly happy with it; then again, I'm a very low-end sort of character.

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

I played a recently made Classico A a year or so ago and was pretty underwhelmed. I also found that the finish on that one was a little on the heavy side. I do like Victors tho. Simple and decent and reasonably priced.

[peterk]

This fancy Ceccherini in disguise just sold for a pretty nifty sum of money. Too bad the mandolin lacks an explicit/written ID of the maker. (I am guessing Pietrapertosa might have had some sort of a deal with Ceccherini in order to try to penetrate the Parisian mandolin market.) However, that obviously hasn't stopped a bunch of people from going after it.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/400662105476?...84.m1438.l2649

[brunello97]

Coincidentally enough, we've been to Pietrapertosa to see the caves some years back. Amazingly beautiful area and the village setting itself is spectacular.

Nice looking mandolin.

Mick

[Bartk1448]

Annamaria is pretty enough, but fingerboards that go up to the 197th fret on the G-side are of limited usefulness, IMHO.

I play a humble Model 26, and am perfectly happy with it; then again, I'm a very low-end sort of character.

Cheers,

Victor

Oh, OK, then I guess all I'll need is about $1068 for the 26 . . . Hmm, now do I need a new mandolin. OK, I guess it is not about need anymore . . .

Cheers,

[brunello97]

... OK, I guess it is not about need anymore . . .

Nope.

Mick

[PiccoloPrincipe]

Hi

Funny you and others discussing this ..

I have written both the seller and "Tavy" (John ) asking and saying the exact same thing .. I just had to know. I don't know what the heck that is and I've never seen it before.

It's obviously not MOP. I thought it was some sort of cover as the fret position dots can be seen beneath.

It looks like glass over silver leaf or something.

Right on "PeterK" .. "Socii" means exactly what you state. Business partner, associate, etc..

The label states that they sourced out for the fingerboard work and credited the maker (who's name I can't recall), which is interesting and unique (if not noble). But due to legal reasons and the production numbers "de Meglio" had, I am sure it was a large amount and serious contract for him.

Love that term "Brunello97" ... "Fretboard eczema" ... Thanks for posting your picture too. Awesome.
(PS: Wasn't '94 the better year? Just sayin')

As "Beanzy" stated ..."separation, moisture, mold ..etc." then ensued seems spot on to me too fwiw.

Checking my messages now, the seller knows nothing about anything regarding mandolins or this instrument, but was honest in describing what he sees. He said that he doesn't know really what he is looking at either.

I would never, EVER copy or forward someone's message (I'm a tomb), but this is public and strictly relating to the description of the instrument, so I'll post his response:

"I can't work it out.
To the touch the fretboard & frets are like glass - cold and smooth.
I tried to make a small mark on it with a screwdriver but it seems resilient.
Also it looks like through the glass there are the old mother of pearl marks visible.
So perhaps a replacement at some time in glass or some other transparent substance.
It does not look like a recent addition."


Anyway, there appears to be a crack at the headstock, and the neck is separating..

As stated, it would be a heck of a thing to fix i think. Probably requires replacement.

Strangely, noting within one of his images of the side posted, it appeared that it was a normal fretboard beneath?

I don't intend to ask more questions as I am not really interested, but it threw me too. but he noted that there are actually frets or raised fret-like areas made of this glass-like substance. And within detailed images, they don't match the apparent fretboard incisions below..I see a few slot mismatches from whatever I am looking at.

Anyway, at least i'm not the only one..weird...
Kind regards

For the life of me I just can't figure out what the fretboard is on this De Meglio mandolin. The fretwires look all gone.
Perhaps John Maddock might have an idea or two about it ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandolin-Ita...item2c7c9073ca

[PiccoloPrincipe]

Yeah..I really tried for that one..
fwiw


Not meant to be apparently..

This fancy Ceccherini in disguise just sold for a pretty nifty sum of money. Too bad the mandolin lacks an explicit/written ID of the maker. (I am guessing Pietrapertosa might have had some sort of a deal with Ceccherini in order to try to penetrate the Parisian mandolin market.) However, that obviously hasn't stopped a bunch of people from going after it.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/400662105476?...84.m1438.l2649

[PiccoloPrincipe]

I think our money would be better spent on this Emburger.http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MANDOLIN-EMBE...item338af04fbe

We just need to convince Fabio that he is not likely to get anywhere near $1,600 for it with that magna-bow of a neck and multiple cracks in the soundboard, and then we try negotiate a lower price with him directly. I think the man likes wheeling and dealing.

Funny, I didn't see your post prior to replying.

Even more funny In fact is I wrote him the exact same thing regarding his Mozzani terzina trying to help him out and just talking instruments and things. I actually was rather rude initially criticizing his statement of it being "restored" .. (It's a sore subject for me, what can I say)

Yeah, he is a genuine enthusiast, etc. as stated before, but here, prices really are completely devoid of following the current market or any seeming logic in my humble opinion.

Not merely instruments, but everything...

Anyway, power to him ... "expensive" is relative, but yes, as you so aptly stated ... definitely think he is willing to negotiate.

Jeez...the mandolin world is small.

[peterk]

Yeah..I really tried for that one..
fwiw


Not meant to be apparently..

He, he......I also went after that one, but not all the way, and that perhaps was a mistake . That mandolin needed two tuner buttons replaced, which would have really meant making my own buttons out of bone blanks, and that, including the installation, would have been a tedious project for me.

Piccolo Principe, do you have any info on the assumed relationship between Pietrapertosa and Ceccherini ? I am troubled a bit by the absence of Ceccherini's name on that mandolin label. Unfortunately, the Pietrapertosa's label doesn't make it clear that he was (probably) the importer and/or the distributor, and not the maker of the mandolin.

[peterk]

This mandolin with an 1883 brothers Calace label has resurfaced on eBay only a few weeks after it was sold for 121 Euro (http://www.ebay.de/itm/MANDOLIN-F-LL...d=589963814360).

I can't see anything of value added to it now, only the asking price has gone up manifold.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/old-fully-pl...item4d19146a56
I hope that the mandolin will continue to circulate on eBay from one speculator to another, and that no bona fide mandolin player and/or enthusiast gets stuck with it.

[PiccoloPrincipe]

He, he......I also went after that one, but not all the way, and that perhaps was a mistake . That mandolin needed two tuner buttons replaced, which would have really meant making my own buttons out of bone blanks, and that, including the installation, would have been a tedious project for me.

Piccolo Principe, do you have any info on the assumed relationship between Pietrapertosa and Ceccherini ? I am troubled a bit by the absence of Ceccherini's name on that mandolin label. Unfortunately, the Pietrapertosa's label doesn't make it clear that he was (probably) the importer and/or the distributor, and not the maker of the mandolin.

Hello there

My sentiments are exactly the same as yours. It's strange.
No..I haven't any other info either I'm afraid.

Your thoughts make me grin regarding making new bone buttons.
I'll never learn. In my head it always takes 15 minutes! Always ...
Kind regards.

[peterk]

Well, in my modest experience, fashioning a decent looking replica button out of bone is not that difficult. However, I have encountered a couple of problems afterwards:
(1) Drilling-filing a square profile tapered hole in the button, so as to fit the tuner shaft snug and accurate.
(2) After the button has been mounted, terminating somehow the shaft tip in order to secure the button on the shaft.

[peterk]

Here's a fancy De Meglio with an even fancier auction starting price: 950 Euro ($1,305 US).
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Mandolino-Gio...item4ad0f65149
The mandolin looks good despite a lengthy crack in the soundboard.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures which would allow one to judge the neck condition as well as the health of the fretboard-soundboard joint. Those 8 strings look like they have maintained the instrument in tune for several decades, just in case someone decided to strum it a bit every few years.

[Tavy]

While we're talking DeMeglio's, did anyone around here buy the model 7 with the "glass" fretboard? Just curious to know what it was actually made of...

[peterk]

That mandolin fetched a goodly amount in the end. I'd say the fretboard was covered with tin foil, it is just odd that we have a record of seemingly two different De Meglio mandolins having the same "feature", which would suggest that the De Meglios themselves might have experimented in that direction on a limited number of such instruments being sold.

[Tavy]

That mandolin fetched a goodly amount in the end. I'd say the fretboard was covered with tin foil, it is just odd that we have a record of seemingly two different De Meglio mandolins having the same "feature", which would suggest that the De Meglios themselves might have experimented in that direction on a limited number of such instruments being sold.

IMO it went for too much considering it probably wasn't playable "as is" and might well need a fretboard-transplant.

I don't think it was tin foil though - more like a molded plexiglass fretboard - if Boem could do that for waldzither bridges, why not for fretboards too? Other than they end up looking like c^%p and are unrepairable of course!

[peterk]

If indeed the fretboard is "Plexiglass (or "Lucite"), then such modification must be of a later date because that family of clear thermoplastics was not commercially available before the mid 1930s or so.

[Jim Garber]

These are pretty rare: a 1913 N.5 Embergher (no "bis" here -- std open flat headstock). Nice inlay on the peghead. I am sure that the price is pretty up there in the stratosphere. This is being sold by William Petit in Paris. I don't see it on his site yet but it is on his Facebook page.

[Jim Garber]

Yikes! Yet another Embergher, this a 1928 mandola (octave tuned) in rosewood (eBay Germany). It looks like it is in good shape, too. Also comes with possibly an original case. Try to find a hard shell case for this one. Non-original tp cover.

[brunello97]

The #5 senza bis looks pretty nice, Jim. I much prefer this headstock and like the inlay on it a lot. I've never been a fan of the apribottiglie. I remain stymied, though, by why so many Emberghers appear so clumsy on the face and so wonderful on the back. Misaligned fretboard snowflakes? Weird, fat, black soundhole ring? I realize the (hopefully faux) tortoise scroll is a part of the brand. This one does feel almost okay with the Puglia / Florida fretboard extension.

Really enigmatic design sensibility. The back of the mandola looks like a tuna's eye view of a Chris Craft. The front, well....

Mick

[peterk]

When I saw that M-burger 1928 mandola having a low starting price, I needed to check my excitement by reminding myself that I could get a very fine brand new Antonio Carvalho mandola for 450 Euro.

[Bartk1448]

Can anyone comment on the German Bowlbacks, specifically those at http://www.guriema.de ? I ask because these have the kind of tuners I like, wood pick guards and wood armrests that only come on the very expensive Italian models. Thanks.

[peterk]

Here's a 1896 brothers Vinaccia mandolin. Looks quite good on the pictures.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-rare-an...item4ad1741963