Bruno "Lyra Brand" mandolin

[Brew]

Hi.... new guy here - new to both the mandolin and to this forum. I am hoping that i can learn a bit about improving technique and playing styles.

But what better place to start than to post a pic of my only mandolin... a flat back model - bearing a label inside the soundhole :

"Lyra Brand"

Bruno name with a lyre and crown trademark
and

"Made in U.S.A."

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/ericclapton/mando01.jpg

I have no idea of its age, nor much about the maker... I got it from a friend who spotted it in a flea market - bearing a label which said "Banjo for sale"!

It is a well loved instrument - and is played regularly... as i attempt to wring a tune from it.

If anyone has any info on the marque - or can tell me how old it is, I would be interested to know.

In the meantime, glad to be here... and I look forward to learning a thing or two.

[Jake Wildwood]

Bruno was a big distributor based in New York (I believe). They didn't make any of their instruments (I believe) but rather purchased instruments wholesale and then stuck their labels on them to sell via mailorder, etc.

I wouldn't be surprised if your mandolin was made by Oscar Schmidt, by the way, because many of its features are similar to OS-branded instruments (Stella, Galiano) of the time -- which, by the way, would be c.1915-1925 for this particular mando, probably. The headstock shape is also reminiscent of an OS-made instrument.

For example:
http://www.stellaguitars.com/stella_mandolin.htm
http://www.vintageinstruments.com/photos/inst28/sovrinmandoful.jpg

I'm pretty fond of this style mando, by the way. I've had a few through my hands before, and they tend to have excellent punch, a nice woody tone, and a crisp feel to them.

[Brew]

Thank you for that info...the Stella instrument is almost identical

Much appreciated.

[Jake Wildwood]

No problem!