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An_OhEalaithe
Jan-10-2020, 6:27pm
Hello,

I have a round back Mandolin. The label on the inside reads as follows:

Strumenti Musicali a Corda
Francesco Catania
Catania C. P. 147

I bought it when I was a student in Cork, Ireland in 1974. It has been up in my attic for about the last 40+ years but I took it out again recently to restart playing. It still sounds nice!

Does anybody know anything about this make of mandolin? Apart from the fact that I bought it in '74, I know nothing else about age, origin, pedigree in general. Any info to satisfy me curiosity would be really appreciated.

Jim Garber
Jan-12-2020, 8:12pm
Here is a 5+ year old thread (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/111002-Francesco-Catania-Mandolin). Does yours look like this one?

Or this one: Francesco Catania Mandolino 1940-1950 (https://reverb.com/item/24134680-francesco-catania-mandolino-1940-1950-made-in-italy-mandolin-vintage)

182790

Catania is a town in Sicily and it was a center of instrument making. I think some folks might have taken the town name for the name of their shop. Or else it was originally a family name. There are other makers of mandolins and guitars with that last name.

An_OhEalaithe
Jan-22-2020, 11:57am
Thanks Jim. It’s more like the one in the “5+ year old thread” except that the pick guard is only below the strings - same pattern though. I had it looked at this week but I don’t think it is worth investing in and having it repaired. Lying around untouched for 40 years in my attic has not improved it and I see cracks in the soundboard and belly plus other bad stuff that predate my owning it. It will take pride of place on some wall or other at home and just hang about looking pretty until the end of its or my days.