Beginning of arched tops and backs

[bryce]

THis may be a silly question, but then it wouldn't be my first. I was wondering if anyone here knows about when the first arch top(and or back) mandolins started being produced commercially? Not the bowl back type, but arched similar to todays A models. The oldest I've seen are the early 1900s gibsons. Was this Orville's thing? Were there any around in say the early 1800s?
Thanks

[LVH]

This was indeed orville's design. they were orginally just arched tops with flat backs up until about 1911 i believe

[Rick Turner]

Carved or press bent?

[Michael Lewis]

Arched tops and backs in mandolins is a transplanted idea from violins. Before Orville did any the mandolins of the world were mostly all bowl back "tater bugs". It was Orville's attempt to introduce the refinement of the violin world into the mandolins he was making. Lloyd took the idea a bit further and used "f" holes.

Here in America we mostly think of mandolins as being either F or A models, but the rest of the world looks at those models as "American" mandolins. They've come a long way, Baby!

[mandozilla]

I pick an F-5 copy bluegrass style. Whenever anyone asks me what kind of instrument I'm playing I always tell them it's an American Mandolin.

I've been telling people that for many years and often times their face lights up with a smile and they often comment how pretty it looks. (Gotta be the scrolls ?!?) Maybe it's a patriotic thing...I dunno.

[MikeEdgerton]

Orville may have carved them first, Shutt put F holes on his carved mandolins before Lloyd.