Scala (Scafa?) Colossus flattop with banjo-type resonator

[mrmando]

Somebody sent me these photos. I can't find L. Scafa, L. Scala, or Colossus listed at Mugwumps. "La Scala," of course, was an Oscar Schmidt brand but that doesn't seem to be what we have here.

I've seen a few similar old mandolins, including some by Rafaele Tieri: http://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/tierifulpage.html

But apart from that, these don't ring a bell. Any help?

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[Jim Garber]

That is very cool, Martin. I would think it might have a Tieri connection. Paul H might have additional info -- he has worked on a few of Tieris and I think even built one of his own design.

That headstock inlay is a stock one from a pearl supplier -- I have seen ones like it on other instruments.

[billhay4]

Looks like "LaScala" to me. Italian opera house, wasn't it?
Bill

[mrmando]

Here's an Oscar Schmidt "La Scala" tenor guitar; don't know whether they used this subbrand for mandolins. Anyway, for the mandolin logo to read "La Scala," you have to imagine an A where there isn't one and ignore the descender that makes the L look more like an F.
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[allenhopkins]

OK, here's (http://elderly.com/vintage/names/yosco-colossus-banjo-guitar-(1920's)--200U-2089.htm) an almost identical "Colossus" inlay on a Yosco banjo. Yosco's "Colossus" banjos had a larger-than-normal 15-inch head diameter.

The Yosco family (originally Iosco) immigrated from Italy in the 1870's. This Vintage Guitar article (http://www.vintageguitar.com/10981/the-yosco-no-2/) gives a history of their instrument-building activities. They built mandolins, and also sold banjos under their name, though some think other manufacturers made them for Yosco.

I don't see anything in the article about "La Scala" labeled instruments, but the similarity of the "Colossus" inlay is certainly suggestive.

[Jim Garber]

Good work, Allen. A friend of mine (banjo player) used to convert these Yosco tenors to five-strings so I am quite familiar with the maker. This could very well be the same maker tho I have only seen these tenors not any mandolin-banjos.

[Minorkey]

Looks like L Scafa to me!

[stewart s]

Somebody sent me these photos. I can't find L. Scafa, L. Scala, or Colossus listed at Mugwumps. "La Scala," of course, was an Oscar Schmidt brand but that doesn't seem to be what we have here.

I've seen a few similar old mandolins, including some by Rafaele Tieri: http://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/tierifulpage.html

But apart from that, these don't ring a bell. Any help?

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I have an almost identical banjo-shaped mandolin with SCAFA crudely stamped on it! It has a fancier back and 3 plys in the stripe down the back of the neck instead of one. Many marquetry details are exactly the same. Same symmetrical sound ring. The word SPECIAL is inlaid in the peghead. At the top of the peghead somebody took letter stamps and punched "SCAFA" in and rubbed silver paint in.

It has a wacky pick guard I assumed came from another instrument. Celluloid(?)woman playing a harp inset into a tortoise shell colored guard. She has a crude face scratched on and inked in. Her graffitti face seems period. The vibe I get is a luthier named Scafa or someone from Scafa, Italy got drunk or mad or both and defaced this thing which does look like it was made by Raffaele Tiera from 2 Spring Street in New York.

I bought it in pieces in Ft Lauderdale with live termites infesting it it original case and glued it back together. The intonation was wrong where the bridge seems to have been and is sketchy no matter where I put the bridge but I like looking at this thing and it is loud.145608145609145610145611

[allenhopkins]

Wow! Same-or-similar body, different headstocks, both with the "Scafa" name -- but one crudely incised and filled with paint, the other with a MOP inlay. One labeled "Colossus," the other "Special." Clearly related, but how?

Some Google research comes up with instruments made by a Louis Scafa: here's (http://s332.photobucket.com/user/svenuhrmann/library/Louis%20Scafa%20Archtop%2030s?sort=3&page=1) a Photobucket page with pics of an archtop Scafa guitar, similar "Special" headstock logo to stewart s's in the previous post. This Worthpoint page (http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/guitar-review-magazine-19-1956-504440906) mentions Scafa advertising in Guitar Review magazine, aimed at classical guitarists, in the 1950's.

So let's assume these instruments were made by Louis Scafa, and disregard the "La Scala" possible connection with Oscar Schmidt, and the "Colossus" connection with Yosco banjos. I haven't been able to find more about Louis Scafa, including where his shop was. Earlier posts suggest a possible relation to Rafaele Tieri, who built in NYCity, but I can't find a mention of a Scafa music shop there. Some Tieri mandolins shown on this Vintage Instruments page (http://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/tierifulpage.html) look very much like the Scafa instruments under discussion, but I don't find a Tieri/Scafa connection in my searches.

All very interesting...

[allenhopkins]

More Scafa info:

I received this via PM from Cafe member "Mephistopheles":


Mr. Louis (Luis) Scafa was from Argentina & according to the label on his instruments was a student of Manuel Ramírez (1864-1916, b.Alhama de Aragón, Spain) & began building guitars in Madrid, Paris then Madrid again to the consternation of his brother José (1858-1923) who had already established himself in 1882 at No2, Concepción Jerónima, Madrid. Once Manuel returned they never spoke again.

The difference in the shops was that José went in for larger production & experimentation while the shop of Manuel was small, prestigious & produced some of Spain's greatest makers. I have a 1971 José Ramírez guitar (the golden age) & a 1958 Arcángel Fernández, apprentice of Marcelo Barbero & apprentice of Santos Hernández who took over the shop when Manuel died.

The political climate in Spain was becoming more & more difficult at this time. The King Alfonso XIII would eventually step down in 1931 after a failed dictatorship under Gen. Primo de Rivera who seized the gov't in 1923. The Socialist Gov't. came to power & would remain so from 1931-1939 when the army would over throw the country.

So when did Mr. Scafa come & from where? The amateur labels are indecisive as in some case badly printed or hand written. I have one that says 1938 but my mother says no. Between her & my grandmother they knew everyone's business in "Little Spain" She says he was here by 1934. My mother was born here about 1924/25.

The label clearly says one thing but his ad in the Guitar Review of the time says another thing. The copy of the label that I have says 1938 (date hand written) 394 2nd Avenue between 22d & 23 streets. It states he makes refinishes & makes every type of string instrument. But later he relocated to 464 2nd Ave., between 26th & 27th sts.

The printed in the G.R. states Louis Scafa "El Argentino" 45 years of experience, pupil of Manuel Ramírez, Construction & Repairing, Gut, Silk, & Nylon Strings, 464 2nd ave.

I went to Argentina in 2012 on business & looked for the name "Scafa". I have one grandmother who is Italian & who told the name was Italian, not Spanish. I did find some people named as such in the Buenos Aires Directory.

I have two of his instrument passed down from a friend of my grandfather's who played for the Casa de Aragón in NYC. They came to America about the same time. We are from Andalucía but this man played both Bandurria & Laúd which Mr. Scafa made for him & one of which closely resembles the instrument you pictured.

Summarizing: "L Scafa" was Argentinian of Italian or Spanish background, had worked for Manuel Ramirez's firm in Spain, came to the US in the early 1930's, built and repaired instruments on 2nd Ave. in NYCity; don't have a birth or death date for him.

Perhaps Louis Scafa should be added to the Mugwumps Index (http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html) of US fretted instrument builders. We have two Scafa instruments illustrated in this thread, Mephistopheles may have a couple more -- and that could be the entire remaining number of his creations. A footnote, but interesting, IMHO.

[ScafaKid]

Hi...Louis Scafa was my great-grandfather. He came here from Argentina in the mid to late 1920's, and was of Italian descent.

[mandroid]

DeWick Iucci had similar mandolin build, as I Recall ..
Round Mandolin Pix off web to be found .. most posted here before ..

:popcorn:

[jammor]

Hello Sir Scafakid. I have bought Luis Scafa guitar here in Atlanta. Would love to here from you. I will post pictures tomorrow when I get home. I think it was built in 1932 in NYC... Jim

[jammor]

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[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Heres a label from a mandolin

[jammor]

Very cool

[ScafaKid]

wow! thanks for posting the pictures!