Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

  1. #1

    Default Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Hey there fellow Mandolin aficionados!

    A friend of mine just recommended me to this site because I have a very old Turkish mandolin that I'm wanting to get some more information on. I bought it about 2 years ago in an antique shop in Taksim square and had some guitar guys somewhat fix it up, put on a few new strings but they weren't able to tell me much about it.

    The wood is solid and the tone is dark and buttery. It's a beautiful instrument who I've decided to name the only turkish name I could pronounce: Chalayan.

    Here are some photos, I'd love to hear your thoughts about when you think it was made, how much you think it might be worth, and anything else you can tell me. Thanks!


    Lily Virginia
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2192.jpg 
Views:	589 
Size:	199.7 KB 
ID:	103695   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2193.jpg 
Views:	204 
Size:	212.9 KB 
ID:	103696   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2194.jpg 
Views:	157 
Size:	216.4 KB 
ID:	103697  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2195.jpg 
Views:	166 
Size:	177.7 KB 
ID:	103698   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2196.jpg 
Views:	165 
Size:	196.0 KB 
ID:	103699   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2197.jpg 
Views:	185 
Size:	245.9 KB 
ID:	103700  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2198.jpg 
Views:	140 
Size:	199.1 KB 
ID:	103701   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2199.jpg 
Views:	148 
Size:	194.8 KB 
ID:	103702   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2200.jpg 
Views:	148 
Size:	215.5 KB 
ID:	103703  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_2201.jpg 
Views:	152 
Size:	256.3 KB 
ID:	103704  

  2. #2

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    complimenti. to my inexperienced eye it looks french - made by a turkish luthier, possibly trained in france or at the very least, a french mandolin sold by a music shop in istanbul. lovely purfling. i would guess it was made in the 1920's. any chance of a sound sample?

  3. #3

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Sure thing!

    Here's a sound sample: https://soundcloud.com/lily-virginia...sample/s-KAUHK

    Let me know what you think.

  4. #4
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Quote Originally Posted by billkilpatrick View Post
    complimenti. to my inexperienced eye it looks french - made by a turkish luthier, possibly trained in france or at the very least, a french mandolin sold by a music shop in istanbul. lovely purfling. i would guess it was made in the 1920's. any chance of a sound sample?
    I would make close to the same guess as Bill's. This was prob imported into Istanbul to this music store.
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  5. #5

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Quote Originally Posted by lilyvirginia View Post
    Sure thing!

    Here's a sound sample: https://soundcloud.com/lily-virginia...sample/s-KAUHK

    Let me know what you think.
    sounds great - not at all how i imagined it would. following you on soundcloud now - i expect we'll hear great things!

  6. #6
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Lily: that tune you played almost sounds Chinese? Is it?

    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  7. #7

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Thanks Bill!

    I mostly use soundcloud for hosting private music but you can check out my work on my website here: lilyvirginia.com - I'd love to hear what you think! (The first song is from my upcoming debut EP).

    Lastly, do you know what price a mandolin like mine would fetch? I've had a few offers but have never been very interested cuz I'm pretty attached but it would be good to know. Thanks!

  8. #8

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Hey Jim,

    I have no idea. I just made it up so I could get the different sounds throughout the neck of the mandolin however on this instrument I do find myself playing more eastern influenced melodies for some reason!

    Lily

  9. #9
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Quote Originally Posted by lilyvirginia View Post
    Lastly, do you know what price a mandolin like mine would fetch? I've had a few offers but have never been very interested cuz I'm pretty attached but it would be good to know. Thanks!
    I would not expect that you would get much for it. It is not in great condition at least cosmetically, a couple of the tuner buttons are replaced -- I also can't quite tell whether the back was completely replaced but it is not fine wood in any case. A couple of hundred dollars would prob be generous IMHO.

    Don't worry too much about value esp if you are not selling it.
    Last edited by Jim Garber; Jun-24-2013 at 8:31am.
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  10. #10

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    whoa! - great stuff! mega complimenti!

  11. #11

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Thanks Jim!

  12. #12

    Default Re: Antique Turkish Mandolin - Want to know more!

    Thanks so much Bill!

    Please follow me on Facebook (facebook.com/lilyvirginiamusic) or Twitter: @lilyvirginia - if you do those sorts of things so I can let you know when I release more music. I'd love to keep you in the loop.

    Thanks again for everything

    Lily

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •