Raffaele Calace

[raffaele]

Hi all...I'm new to the Mandolin thing...but I've managed to come across a Raffaele Calace 1924 mandolin...Does anybody know anything about these..It's a beautiful instrument...Is it valuable???I've been reading up on the man himself...very interesting...The Mandolin has his signature inside it..Any info would be greatly appreciated

[Jim Garber]

Can you post some pictures of it? Whats does the label read?

I am sure the folsk more familiar than I will soon comment. In any case, it is one of the more desirable of the bowlbacks since it has the Calace name (as well as yours). Congratulations.

Here is the Calace site (http://www.calace.it/).

[raffaele]

Yeah I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them.....THE LABEL READS Prof. Cav. Raffaele Calace anno 1924 ...It's also signed by him...

[Eugene]

As you have probably found out, lower-case raffaele, upper-case Raffaele Calace (1863-1934) was one of the greatest proponents of the mandolin in art music at the beginning of its last golden era in the late 19th c. #He was one of its greatest performers, composers, critical writers, and luthiers. #Even fairly basic Calace mandolins made during his life can expect to approach US$2,000 in good, playable condition. Fancier pieces can draw much more. #You are a lucky soul. #I'm eager for your images.

[raffaele]

O.K...heres my raffaele calace... If I can work out how to post them !!

[raffaele]

Why no attachment...I'll try again

[jasona]

on the post screen, scroll down to the bottom to the post image area. Click the button to browse your computer for the images (of less than 75K if I rememeber correctly). Select the image, and it will upload to the web server for us to see

And it must be either .jpeg or .gif in format

[raffaele]

Still wont work...I'll try again later

[Jim Garber]

raffaele:
To clarify what jasona says:

1) Reply to this thread. Wrie whatever you want (or not).
2) Scroll down to the bottom of the reply box
3) You will see a section called File Attachements (see attached). Hit "choose File" button and browse your computer to find the file you want posted. Must be under 76k and one file at a time.
4) Hit "Add Reply" button.

Repeat as necessary. Drink plenty of water and call me in the morning. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Dr. Jim
(anxiously awaiting these Calace photos)

[raffaele]

O.K...I've tried all that...and now a box is coming up saying cannot connect to the website www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi
When I went to the mandolin cafe contact us thing...it actually says that the message board is down....so I assume my problems posting a picture are something to do with that..sorry all I'll get the pictures up as soon as I can...

[raffaele]

Maybe someone else could try posting a photo and see if they're having the same problem...I have contacted the site but had no reply yet......So frustrating

[Eugene]

I would be happy to post a couple images if you e-mail them to me.

[raffaele]

O.K...done...
I went to your home page and sent them to your e mail address listed there...Hope you get them alright... Cheers

[Eugene]

Here are some images of raffaele's mandolin by Raffaele:

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[raffaele]

Hey thanks so much Eugene...
So whats your opinion on it http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Eugene]

As you may have read elsewhere by now, this is very simple, very nice. The aesthetic is graceful. This is a rather low-end Calace, but made during the height of the Calace shop's powers...And the highly ornamented Calace mandolins are just TOO much. These simple ones are more appealing to my eyes. I don't know what you paid, but I'd guess a value over US$2,000, possibly approaching US$3,000, on this.

[raffaele]

Hey Eugene...Thanks very much for all of your help and information...
If only I knew how to play it...I'm actually a drummer....so I may be looking to sell it on....I feel kinda guilty seeing all you guys who obviously really can appreciate something like this...I could tell you how much I paid for it ...but I think it would only make you cry...Mind you I bought it ...because I play a little guitar...It looked beautiful...and I thought it seemed a bargain....

[raffaele]

I look at something like this mandolin and think....what stories it could tell....born in 1924 and ending up in my possesion 80 years down the track.....From Italy to Australia....It's quite amazing...If only it could talk...I guess a great player could make it tell some stories...nice thought...

[RSW]

Nice clean orchestral model mandolin, 24 frets, rosewood fingerboard, simple unflutted back ribs in rosewood and those curious holes in front of the bridge. Should sound and play just fine if the neck is straight. It does look later and suspicously fresh for an instrument of this age. The signature doesn't necessarily mean it was signed by Rafaelle Sr. himself. It was common to prepare a great quantity of labels ahead of time or even using engraved (printed signatures). The hole in the headstock is probably a later alteration, I've never seen this on any Calace (any period) before. I think market value is not over $2k, this particular model is relatively common.

[Bob A]

Armrest looks rather plain for the period, though I'm certainly no expert. Bridge also appears to be simpler in design than the older carved examples. Perhaps the instrument was gone over by the Calace shop in the intervening decades?

[RSW]

The bridge is typical of what they (Calace firm) have used over the past half century. I'm not sure when they went with this extremely common design. I had examined two instruments from the mid-60s and the bridges were really very poor.

[vkioulaphides]

[QUOTE]"I had examined two instruments from the mid-60s and the bridges were really very poor."

Richard, would you care to elaborate on: in what way they were poor? Do you mean, for example, that they were visually bland (like e.g. many I have seen), or that they actually worked/sounded poorly...?

And, if the latter is the case, do you think the cause was poor materials, careless workmanship, or both?

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello all,

Indeed a nice Calace mandolin.

Yes Bob A, the armrest is rather plain and if you look closely you will notice that it is a later addition that can not have been done by the Calace firm.
The elegancy of the original design is completely absent. You can see this in the awkward flow of the designs curve and in the fact that the wood of it is much to thick.
Also the wood on an original Calace armrest would - at the very edge of left side (from the spectator´s point of view) - tapper high up (much nicer in design!) and not bent backwards in thr last 10 millimetres like it does here.

I agree with Richard; the bridge is a repacement and looks like those on Calace´s that are build later. And than especially those seen on mandolins made after 1960 in the Giuseppe Calace atelier.

However the hole in the headstock is original on this model as can be seen on the picture with Sebastiaan de Grebber holding the same Calace mandolin model (1914). Often a white ´pearl´ is pinned down in the hole like in the one pictured.

For those of you who have the first ´Aranci in Fiore´ CD of The Consort this 1914 Calace is played by Sebastiaan on in Raffaele Calace´s famous Rondo Op. 127 for mandolin and Orchestra (track 5) and in Carlo Malizia´s Adagio & Allegro for Solo Mandolin and Orchestra (track 9 & 10).

Just wonderful sounding mandolins!


Best,

Alex.


PS. To hear a short sample of this Calace model´s sound in the Rondo of Calace, just click here. (http://www.mandolineorkest.nl/samples/Het_Consort_Sample_Aranci-CD_05_Calace_Op127_Rondo.mp3)

[RSW]

First, thanks Alex for the enlightenment (yet again) on the Calace headstock. I have never personally seen one with a hole so now I have! In answer to Vic, the bridge is both poor esthetically and also with the materials. The ebony is all right but the bridges I have seen were a disgrace to the name founders of this firm. Of course, the real issue is whether they perform acoustically and, to be truthful, I didn't really make an in depth study to determine their musical worth. The bridges were straight across and wouldn't work with the type of strings I used then or now. The armrest is curious. Perhpas the original was made from t-shell or celluloid imitation. They often break and maybe this armrest was a replacement by some other party.

[Alex Timmerman]

Hi Richard and all,

The armrest on these types was made of rosewood and symmetrical. I´m not sure but I´ll see if I have a photo somewhere swimming in my PC. If I catch it I´ll post it.

On bridges I can say that the strings have to lay very neat on the ivory or bone top-saddle of a bridge.
The bridge itself has really to fit (shocking stuck together and so well fitting that one can not insert a thinnest of the thinnest piece of aluminium tin-foil into the bridge and the soundboard (the place where the bridge is placed on) over the whole length of it´s ebony bottom in order to give as much vibrations to the soundboard caused by us the hitting the string(s).

It speaks for itself that this is a very, very delicate and meticulous job to do. And that needs to be done with care, devotion and (lots of) time. But this and the best strings available, is what makes a mandolin sound at it´s very best!


Greetings,

Alex

[Alex Timmerman]

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3707043431&category=359" target="_blank">Hello,

A Lyra-Mandolin by the Calace firm</a> has come up for auction.

Greetings,

Alex

[Jim Garber]

I think that this lyra mandolin has been on eBay before. I had downloaded the pics and description in December. Perhaps it did not sell or else the buyer decided that it was not for him to keep.

Strange instruments these. Are they actually playable or more of a novelty?

Jim

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello Jim,

Well, yes they are playable up to 3rd position and that´s about all we can/should say about them. Like the Lyra-Guitar (±1800) they were made as novelties to popularize these instruments in music circles.


Best,

Alex

[Neil Gladd]

Here's another Calace mandolin. The price sounds a bit high for the condition.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....y=10179 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3708945508&category=10179)

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello all,

And again an other Lyra mandolin by the Calace Brothers (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3714037144&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting).


Best,

Alex

[Alex Timmerman]

If there is still interest:

And another Giuseppe Calace Soloist model at e-Bay Germany (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3719831519&category=10179)


Greetings again,

Alex

[Bob A]

Great to read that the instrument has a wondeful Klang.

I don't quite understand why none of these German instruments ever come up on ebay when I check off "all sites".

Doubtless many of you noted the pair of Vinaccias that appeared (and quickly disappeared) a few days ago. One looked like it might have been a mandola. Seller was a first-time ebayer, and lived in Napoli. I have a strong suspicion where these mandolins went; probably a few miles down the road.

[Alex Timmerman]

Probably right, Bob!

[Jim Garber]

And another Giuseppe Calace Soloist model at e-Bay Germany (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3719831519&category=10179)
I was trying to figure out why this has such a low bid and then I saw that they only will ship to Germany. Do we have any friends there who might be interested?

It is a little too ornate (glitzy) for my tastes.

Jim

[Jim Garber]

I figured I'd just resurrect this thread rather than start another one.

A friend in Rome told me about this:

http://www.santabarbaramusica.it/en/en_CD.htm

There was a Japanese 2 disk reissue of Calace 78s. I wonder if this is the same.

Also interesting sheet music here, tho not much in the way of info.
http://www.santabarbaramusica.it/it/it_Mandolino.htm

Jim

[Eugene]

There was a Japanese 2 disk reissue of Calace 78s. I wonder if this is the same.
Don't know, but this is old enough to have prices listed in Italian lira and it still says "not available yet." #I would wager that whatever line they had on making this recording available never bore fruit.

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello All,


Nice plain Calace again. Click here. (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3732833649&rd=1&ssPageName=WD2V#ebayphotohosting)


Cheers,

Alex

[Alex Timmerman]

It went for EUR 493,64.

[Jim Garber]

That was bought by Marco (http://it.geocities.com/marco_onorati/MandoliniItaliani.htm), who is another active seller of mandolini italiani.