Reid & co

[Pheezy50]

Hi to all , I have tried to put up a pic of mandolin and banjolin ,hope this helps anyone with knowledge of these fine old instruments,all with original cases.

[Pheezy50]

Can anyone help please

[Pheezy50]

I just looking for some information on this ,as I’ve been asked to restring it but know nothing about it.it looks lovely ,someone must know a bit about these decorative instruments. Thanks in advance

[Pheezy50]

Reid and co ,Secunderabad mandolin

[Pheezy50]

181116 181117
Any help please it’s greatly appreciated by us .thank you

[EdHanrahan]

Obviously not a brand that many are familiar with! It probably generates more questions than answers, most of which YOU could tell us since you have it in hand.

- Guessing that you have Googled to find that it was built in India, a section of Hyderabad.
- I can't make out the writing on the top half of the red oval. That might be informative to someone.
- What is the scale length? It looks like a mandolin, but could be other, depending. Mandolin is usually 13" to 14" (13 7/8" being most common). That's the vibrating length of the string, between the bridge on the body and the nut at the base of the headstock.
- The wood: You obviously do work on instruments, and must have some in-hand opinion on how it's built & what it's made of. Solid, laminated?
- Photos of the back of the headstock, showing the tuner mechanism in detail, are often useful to some.
- The artwork: paint, decal, inlay?

I'm guessing that you actually want to know what brand, gauge, or specific set of strings to use for restinging. That begs the question: What are the gauges of strings on it now? That's usually measured with a caliper to the thousandths of an inch. A typical set might run from .011 inch on the high E-strings (assuming it IS a mandolin) to .042 on the low G strings. Juststrings.com can be a pretty good reference for most fretted instruments.

Hope this helps you help us to help you!

[MikeEdgerton]

Reid and co ,Secunderabad

Reid and co ,Secunderabad appears to be a music store in India.

[Steve 2E]

It might need a tailpiece. It’s hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like the strings are looped around nails.

[NickR]

It is probably pre-war and made in Saxony or across the border Czechoslovakia. That headstock shape is typical of Saxony in Germany but you cannot rule out it being made elsewhere in Europe. If you showed the tuning units and their buttons that may help date it more accurately, although they would almost certainly be of German manufacture if pre-war. My guess is that the shop in India bought from one of the big British dealers which acted as a middleman with the makers in Germany or wherever. Here is a much more ornamented Saxon mandolin sold by Arthur Windsor of the UK either just before or after WWI in the UK. The case helps date it as much as the features of the instrument itself.

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/greenslade-taylor-hunt/catalogue-id-srgr10051/lot-88fc8382-7169-423a-bf3c-a51e011774bd

Here is another Windsor mandolin made in Saxony. You mandolin, I assume has the same tailpiece as this one. Lucas has now done plenty of research to discover that most of these mandolins were indeed from Markneukirchen in Saxony although Windsor may have had some models made in England.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VG9nK-KRwU

[Pheezy50]

181214
Obviously not a brand that many are familiar with! It probably generates more questions than answers, most of which YOU could tell us since you have it in hand.

- Guessing that you have Googled to find that it was built in India, a section of Hyderabad.
- I can't make out the writing on the top half of the red oval. That might be informative to someone.
- What is the scale length? It looks like a mandolin, but could be other, depending. Mandolin is usually 13" to 14" (13 7/8" being most common). That's the vibrating length of the string, between the bridge on the body and the nut at the base of the headstock.
- The wood: You obviously do work on instruments, and must have some in-hand opinion on how it's built & what it's made of. Solid, laminated?
- Photos of the back of the headstock, showing the tuner mechanism in detail, are often useful to some.
- The artwork: paint, decal, inlay?

I'm guessing that you actually want to know what brand, gauge, or specific set of strings to use for restinging. That begs the question: What are the gauges of strings on it now? That's usually measured with a caliper to the thousandths of an inch. A typical set might run from .011 inch on the high E-strings (assuming it IS a mandolin) to .042 on the low G strings. Juststrings.com can be a pretty good reference for most fretted instruments.

Hope this helps you help us to help you!

Hi Ed
Yes every bit of information helps .the writing inside says Music saloons,Reid & co ,Secunderabad.
Unfortunately there no info on headstock at all it’s worn .The paintwork looks very good and is obviously done by hand .the case is worn but still does it’s job .Thank you
For your kind reply I really do appreciate any help .thanks from scotland .
Kenny

[MikeEdgerton]

Obviously not a brand that many are familiar with! It probably generates more questions than answers, most of which YOU could tell us since you have it in hand.

- Guessing that you have Googled to find that it was built in India, a section of Hyderabad.
- I can't make out the writing on the top half of the red oval. That might be informative to someone.
- What is the scale length? It looks like a mandolin, but could be other, depending. Mandolin is usually 13" to 14" (13 7/8" being most common). That's the vibrating length of the string, between the bridge on the body and the nut at the base of the headstock.
- The wood: You obviously do work on instruments, and must have some in-hand opinion on how it's built & what it's made of. Solid, laminated?
- Photos of the back of the headstock, showing the tuner mechanism in detail, are often useful to some.
- The artwork: paint, decal, inlay?

I'm guessing that you actually want to know what brand, gauge, or specific set of strings to use for restinging. That begs the question: What are the gauges of strings on it now? That's usually measured with a caliper to the thousandths of an inch. A typical set might run from .011 inch on the high E-strings (assuming it IS a mandolin) to .042 on the low G strings. Juststrings.com can be a pretty good reference for most fretted instruments.

Hope this helps you help us to help you!

This seems like Deja Vu. Didn't all of this come out a few days ago?

[MikeEdgerton]

Yes it did. Did you read the other thread?

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/147466-Any-help-is-greatly-appreciated-thank-you?p=1743224#post1743224

[MikeEdgerton]

I just merged the threads.

[Pheezy50]

It is probably pre-war and made in Saxony or across the border Czechoslovakia. That headstock shape is typical of Saxony in Germany but you cannot rule out it being made elsewhere in Europe. If you showed the tuning units and their buttons that may help date it more accurately, although they would almost certainly be of German manufacture if pre-war. My guess is that the shop in India bought from one of the big British dealers which acted as a middleman with the makers in Germany or wherever. Here is a much more ornamented Saxon mandolin sold by Arthur Windsor of the UK either just before or after WWI in the UK. The case helps date it as much as the features of the instrument itself.

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/greenslade-taylor-hunt/catalogue-id-srgr10051/lot-88fc8382-7169-423a-bf3c-a51e011774bd

Here is another Windsor mandolin made in Saxony. You mandolin, I assume has the same tailpiece as this one. Lucas has now done plenty of research to discover that most of these mandolins were indeed from Markneukirchen in Saxony although Windsor may have had some models made in England.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VG9nK-KRwU Thank you Nick , I will take better photos tomorrow morning and post , the pegs appear brass and I’m not sure if they are original or not .

[Pheezy50]

It has a tail piece , I will take more photos tomorrow, I do appreciate any help from this forum / thread . Thank you all

[Pheezy50]

Thank you mike , I’m not very good with computers etc , appreciated.

[Pheezy50]

Some good photos with sizes etc

[Pheezy50]

181236181239181239

[Pheezy50]

181246181247181248

[Pheezy50]

The length of mandolin body is 320 mm or 12 and half inches ,50 mm / 2 inches thick at bottom, lower bout 205/8 and half inch ,scale around 330mm/13 inch
,

[MikeEdgerton]

The tuners rule out the US as the country of manufacture. This could have been made anyplace else. It could have been built in India (the country where the retailer was), it could have been built in a half dozen countries in Europe or even in Vietnam during the French occupation. The neck joint is interesting but without a manufacturer it doesn't mean a whole lot. Instruments where you can't identify the maker rarely have any great value. Play it and enjoy it.

[NickR]

The tuners are German and probably 1930s- but that does not make the mandolin German made although it could be. I have mentioned other countries already and I would add Italy to the list. However, with that headstock shape I would reckon on Germany as being most likely. As I mentioned, an Indian instrument would probably come via Britain- and sourced from wherever. A very big music shop in the 1930s might have its own relationship with makers or distributors in Europe as well as the UK and the USA as well. I cannot quite make out the case type but some aspects remind me of the Czech cases that came with Radiotone mandolins. It may be an American case but it is puzzling. It is worth pointing out that I have identical tuners- but only two per plate for a circa 1930 tenor guitar I have made in either Germany or Czecholovakia. Here is a mid-30s Radiotone case- Czech made and the metalware holding the strap looks the same- not sure about the catches but as you have the case to hand you could see how similar the metalware is. My opinion is that if your case is Czech- then the mandolin probably is as well.

181253


Here is an Italian made mandolin with those tuners as on your mandolin- and a similar headstock shape. Italian mandolins tend to be more ornamented on the top than yours- and you can see that on this one which is quite subdued by Italian standards. I have a mandolin that retailed in Milan but was made in Saxony. Just because a mandolin has an Italian name, it was not necessarily made there- although I assume this one was. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/francesco-perretti-figli-flat-471868878

[Pheezy50]

The tuners are German and probably 1930s- but that does not make the mandolin German made although it could be. I have mentioned other countries already and I would add Italy to the list. However, with that headstock shape I would reckon on Germany as being most likely. As I mentioned, an Indian instrument would probably come via Britain- and sourced from wherever. A very big music shop in the 1930s might have its own relationship with makers or distributors in Europe as well as the UK and the USA as well. I cannot quite make out the case type but some aspects remind me of the Czech cases that came with Radiotone mandolins. It may be an American case but it is puzzling. It is worth pointing out that I have identical tuners- but only two per plate for a circa 1930 tenor guitar I have made in either Germany or Czecholovakia. Here is a mid-30s Radiotone case- Czech made and the metalware holding the strap looks the same- not sure about the catches but as you have the case to hand you could see how similar the metalware is. My opinion is that if your case is Czech- then the mandolin probably is as well.

181253


Here is an Italian made mandolin with those tuners as on your mandolin- and a similar headstock shape. Italian mandolins tend to be more ornamented on the top than yours- and you can see that on this one which is quite subdued by Italian standards. I have a mandolin that retailed in Milan but was made in Saxony. Just because a mandolin has an Italian name, it was not necessarily made there- although I assume this one was. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/francesco-perretti-figli-flat-471868878
Thanks for all that great information and some guesswork,well greatly appreciated by me .i have that and a savannah banjolin too lol. Not worth anything so maybe string it . I’m not sure now .i do like the hand painted flowers and the wear of playing at neck and near soundhole .should I keep it or just add to this months scrap ?

[Pheezy50]

Thankyou nick the case looks original old but the clasps (2)still work 181269

[Pheezy50]

No one wants this little beauty ,shame as it sound nice restrung ,I’m no player by any means . Il put it back in the case .thanks to nick and mike for their help .

[Pheezy50]

Obviously not a brand that many are familiar with! It probably generates more questions than answers, most of which YOU could tell us since you have it in hand.

- Guessing that you have Googled to find that it was built in India, a section of Hyderabad.
- I can't make out the writing on the top half of the red oval. That might be informative to someone.
- What is the scale length? It looks like a mandolin, but could be other, depending. Mandolin is usually 13" to 14" (13 7/8" being most common). That's the vibrating length of the string, between the bridge on the body and the nut at the base of the headstock.
- The wood: You obviously do work on instruments, and must have some in-hand opinion on how it's built & what it's made of. Solid, laminated?
- Photos of the back of the headstock, showing the tuner mechanism in detail, are often useful to some.
- The artwork: paint, decal, inlay?

I'm guessing that you actually want to know what brand, gauge, or specific set of strings to use for restinging. That begs the question: What are the gauges of strings on it now? That's usually measured with a caliper to the thousandths of an inch. A typical set might run from .011 inch on the high E-strings (assuming it IS a mandolin) to .042 on the low G strings. Juststrings.com can be a pretty good reference for most fretted instruments.

Hope this helps you help us to help you!
It’s sorted Ed , they say it’s Saxon made and not worth much so it will sit in the case for another 20/30 years .
It’s nice to be nice eh ��

[Pheezy50]

Thanks for your reply nick , I really appreciate that , I will give it a clean and put back in it’s case . ����������������

[NickR]

Take it out of the case every now and again.This is my A. Monzino & Garlandi of Milan mandolin from about 1930. It was almost certainly made by Meinel & Herold of Klingenthal, Saxony and retailed in the UK. It has a great British wooden (laminates) case- one of the reasons I bought it! It sounds great but I now only tend to play mandolins with a 14 inch scale- this one is 13 inch- and I am in trouble when I go back to a 14 inch scale mandolin! However, it needs to be tuned and played every now and then!

181318

181317

[Pheezy50]

Take it out of the case every now and again.This is my A. Monzino & Garlandi of Milan mandolin from about 1930. It was almost certainly made by Meinel & Herold of Klingenthal, Saxony and retailed in the UK. It has a great British wooden (laminates) case- one of the reasons I bought it! It sounds great but I now only tend to play mandolins with a 14 inch scale- this one is 13 inch- and I am in trouble when I go back to a 14 inch scale mandolin! However, it needs to be tuned and played every now and then!

181318

181317

Thank you for advice.