Advise, please

[billkilpatrick]

i was taken by this offer on ebay italy and i'd be grateful for any comments:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360033391944

[Bob A]

Seems to be a bit of this, a smidge of that. Obviously the luthier has seen an Embergher and a Calace; whether he has been able to produce a worthy instrument can't be known until it finds a player (unless of course someone here is familiar with the work of Herr Beck). #If I needed a bowlback and was in Italy, I'd give it some thought, but I wouldn't necessarily bid it up too high.

If you could get hands on it before the end of the auction, you'd be far ahead of the game.

Just noticed the scale is 35cm. Close to 14 inches? Might be a deal-maker or a deal-killer depending on your preferences.

[Arto]

I also noticed the odd scale - wonder if the measurements are exact? Also the year of manufacture is interesting - I´d think that not too many mandolins would have been built in Germany in 1944, and this one seems pretty well built, too.

[billkilpatrick]

me too ... imagine being a luthier in germany in 1944, in the dark, secluded confines of your workplace, wondering ... is there anyone out there but me?!?