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fhaz
Nov-10-2014, 11:33pm
A friend of the family (she's 93) asked if I could find any info about a mandolin that belonged to her mother. Her mother brought it with her from Tennessee through Amarillo to southern New Mexico by around 1917. A cursive engraving on the back of the headstock carries the name "Reinhard" or "Reinhart." I could find no label inside the body.

The fingerboard is covered in mother of pearl, as are the rosette, pickguard and binding. The bowl is highly fluted. Some of the MOP is missing (though someone placed pieces inside the bowl) and the front is separating from the body along the treble side. I did not try to tune it.

Our friend wants to know if the mandolin is of a value that she should see about having it repaired. Any info would be appreciated.

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allenhopkins
Nov-11-2014, 11:03am
Can't find anything on the web on "Reinhard" or "Reinhart" instruments. However, you have what's called a "presentation grade" instrument, with extensive hand-work (fluted ribs) and mother-of-pearl ornamentation.

On the one hand, it has value beyond most old bowl-backs because it was a highly ornamented, top-line model. If fixed up, it would command additional price, although the fact that it's not labeled from a recognized maker would mitigate this somewhat.

On the other hand, it would be fairly expensive to repair, because the repair person would be replacing a fair amount of inlay. This involves cutting and engraving MOP to match the existing inlay, and it's painstaking and somewhat time-consuming.

A beautiful instrument, in a sort of "over-the-top" way. I'd at least get an estimate on fixing it up. Whether it was a good "player's" mandolin or not, it surely would be decorative.

Jim Garber
Nov-11-2014, 5:43pm
Reinhard may very be a retailer or possibly the name of the player it was made for. There is a difference between repair and full restoration. One would be the minimal work done to make it playable and the other would be to fix it so it would be as close to the original condition as possible. of course there are mid range choices as well. The hard part would be to find someone wiling and capable of doing the work and the cost may be high if you found the right person.

lenf12
Nov-11-2014, 7:01pm
I certainly can't help with the ID. Cleaned up and made playable, I'd say it's worth ~$500 or $600 more or less. It is a presentation grade instrument however and if totally restored could fetch as much as $2K or so. The question remains, how much $$$ to totally restore the piece and which luthier can do it justice? Find that person and sell it to him/her for ~$500 or $600. Next question ;)

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

fhaz
Nov-14-2014, 12:05am
Thanks for your assistance. This is good info. I'm intrigued by the idea "Reinhart" could be the original owners name. I checked with my friend, and that is not a family name. Maybe her father bought the mandolin for her mother, she suggested. It was before she was born in 1921, and she just knows this was always her mother's mandolin.

So if Reinhart is the retailer or a previous owner's name, and not the maker of the mando, any idea who the builder might have been?
I've been impressed with how many of you can ID a mandolin by a telltale marking or shape. Are there any clues in this one?


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