Old Mitchell mandolin "American Made"? Any info?

[Ironwood8959]

I just found this the other day... Mitchell bowl back, very old and American Made. I have no idea as I have never seen one before. Any ideas?

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Thanks in advance!

[allenhopkins]

The only "Mitchell" listed in the Mugwumps Index of American Fretted Instrument Makers (http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html) is "Mitchell, P.J." in Brooklyn NY, date 1856.

Don't think this mandolin's that old; the celluloid pickguard would move it after the Civil War at the earliest. Couldn't find any more than that single listing for P.J. Mitchell.

Individual dealers and distributors -- even individual musicians -- commissioned instruments from large-scale manufacturers, who affixed labels for the dealers who sold them. Thus you had "Ditson" instruments made by C F Martin Co., as well as other builders, for the Oliver Ditson music dealerships, e.g.. Did you find this mandolin in CT? Sometimes the hardware -- tuners, tailpiece -- can also provide clues to its origin.

It was originally a quite simple, perhaps student-grade instrument, judging by the lack of ornamentation and top binding. I did quick Google searches on "Mitchell guitar" and "Mitchell banjo" to see if there were other Mitchell instruments mentioned, but since there's a current Mitchell line of economy imported instruments, all my hits were for the new stuff, even when I added "old" to the search, or added the "P.J." initials.

Perhaps one of the real bowl-back experts will identify a characteristic that gives a better clue to its identity.

[Ironwood8959]

Thanks Allen. The pickguard is actually made from two kinds of wood not celluloid. I found this mando in Rhode Island. Here are a few more pics...

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[Jim Garber]

I thought the pickguard was wood too. Most likely that was a later addition. The odd thing to me was the circular sound hole vs. the usual oval on on American bowlbacks. Nothing rings a bell to me as to maker but agree with Allen that it is a budget mandolin prob built and labeled for a retail store.

Another thought about circular SH: big Portuguese population in RI and south Mass. possible makers of that abstraction which might explain SH.

[allenhopkins]

Jim -- any thoughts about the tuners, with the shaft and gear riveted rather than screwed together? Or the tailpiece with only four pins for hooking the string loops?

These features seem to say "economy class," for what that's worth. The bowl of maple and (I guess) rosewood alternating ribs is something I associate with pre-1900 instruments -- though not exclusively. The relatively low number of broad staves in the bowl also seems to indicate an entry-level instrument.

[NickR]

The tuners look German but such items were often imported and the instrument was constructed in the USA.