Plamen Ivanov
Sep-05-2004, 5:18am
Hello,
I intended to rush myself a little bit more in finding out informations about "Puglisi", in order to make a more comprehensive profile of the factory and the instruments, before to publish it. There`s still a file in my PC with the names of few people "to write to" in order to learn something new or to cross-confirm already known things, but Jim`s request and the hard days which come along my life, make me to share with you the results of my Puglisi research at the moment. I hope it will become more complete in the future.
The Company.
The Puglisi family has started to build musical instruments in Catania (Sicily) since 1820. Giuseppe(G.) Reale was born in 1852 and was the son of a piano and organ builder. In 1880 he has founded one of the largest Italian factories for manufacturing bowed and plucked string instruments. After 1906 the firm`s name appears already as "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli(o)". Figli(o) means "sons" in Italian. The sons are Concetto Puglisi and Michelangelo Puglisi. Michelangelo Puglisi ran the workshop successfully after 1909 and his son Salvatore also played a part in this. They were active makers of fine violins (mainly), bows, strings, guitars, mandolins and unique cellos. Unfortunately the factory was destroyed during WWII by bombardment in 1943. Although it was rebuilt and some noted instruments were built after this time, many of the original Puglisi family susbsequently migrated from Sicily to USA, Canada and Australia. After Salvatore`s death his son-in-law Buccheri took over the factory. Before he died he gave all the factory tools to Alfredo Privitera, who established the Privitera company in 1962, which makes the instruments like Puglisi used to make. The Privitera factory still exists in Catania and is located on "Via Scuto Costarelli".
The Instruments.
Most of the "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli" mandolins I`ve seen have very similar construction or even the same. No doubt for me - typical Neapolitan bowlback mandolins, 21 ribs - bowl and neck made of rosewood, ebony fingerboard, spruce top, oval hole. Ebony bridge with ivory on it, the headstock has a typical form. V-form neck, 28-30 mm. at the nut, flat fingerboard with 17 bars (usually with dots on 3. 5. 7. 12. ending at the hole) or over the hole extension with 26 bars. Butterfly inlay of a different kind is also very typical, but also decorations with flowers, birds, etc. could be found. The mandolins are often mother-of-pearl inlaid, cuts ornamented, but there are also plain instruments. The most mandolins have an oval seal on the top, behind the bridge with the inscription "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli Catania" and an Ant inside. This is a distinguishing mark of the "Puglisi" mandolins. Inside the mandolin there should be a label with the same ant mark, but round and the following inscription: "G. PUGLISI REALE & FIGLI; PRIMO STABILIMENTO ITALIANO PER LA FABRICAZIONE DI STRUMENTI A CORDA; MARCA DI FABRICA CATANIA". The year of manufacture should be written as well. Once I came across an information about 12-string, flatback mandolin made by Puglisi, but this isn`t confirmed by now. The Puglisi mandolins should be defined as a middle class instruments. They were made exceptionally for export. So, today you can find them all over the world - in every European country, Russia, Japan, USA, Australia, Brazil, South Africa. The last one, that I saw was in Uruguay. Of course, it depends on every single instrument, but I think the price for a Puglisi mandolin in a good playable condition should be around 200-300$.
The price of the other "Puglisi" instruments - violins and cellos is much, much higher.
Jim, looking at the pictures of the one, that you posted, I think you won`t be disappointed with the Neapolitan bowlbacks!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Good luck!
I intended to rush myself a little bit more in finding out informations about "Puglisi", in order to make a more comprehensive profile of the factory and the instruments, before to publish it. There`s still a file in my PC with the names of few people "to write to" in order to learn something new or to cross-confirm already known things, but Jim`s request and the hard days which come along my life, make me to share with you the results of my Puglisi research at the moment. I hope it will become more complete in the future.
The Company.
The Puglisi family has started to build musical instruments in Catania (Sicily) since 1820. Giuseppe(G.) Reale was born in 1852 and was the son of a piano and organ builder. In 1880 he has founded one of the largest Italian factories for manufacturing bowed and plucked string instruments. After 1906 the firm`s name appears already as "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli(o)". Figli(o) means "sons" in Italian. The sons are Concetto Puglisi and Michelangelo Puglisi. Michelangelo Puglisi ran the workshop successfully after 1909 and his son Salvatore also played a part in this. They were active makers of fine violins (mainly), bows, strings, guitars, mandolins and unique cellos. Unfortunately the factory was destroyed during WWII by bombardment in 1943. Although it was rebuilt and some noted instruments were built after this time, many of the original Puglisi family susbsequently migrated from Sicily to USA, Canada and Australia. After Salvatore`s death his son-in-law Buccheri took over the factory. Before he died he gave all the factory tools to Alfredo Privitera, who established the Privitera company in 1962, which makes the instruments like Puglisi used to make. The Privitera factory still exists in Catania and is located on "Via Scuto Costarelli".
The Instruments.
Most of the "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli" mandolins I`ve seen have very similar construction or even the same. No doubt for me - typical Neapolitan bowlback mandolins, 21 ribs - bowl and neck made of rosewood, ebony fingerboard, spruce top, oval hole. Ebony bridge with ivory on it, the headstock has a typical form. V-form neck, 28-30 mm. at the nut, flat fingerboard with 17 bars (usually with dots on 3. 5. 7. 12. ending at the hole) or over the hole extension with 26 bars. Butterfly inlay of a different kind is also very typical, but also decorations with flowers, birds, etc. could be found. The mandolins are often mother-of-pearl inlaid, cuts ornamented, but there are also plain instruments. The most mandolins have an oval seal on the top, behind the bridge with the inscription "G. Puglisi Reale i Figli Catania" and an Ant inside. This is a distinguishing mark of the "Puglisi" mandolins. Inside the mandolin there should be a label with the same ant mark, but round and the following inscription: "G. PUGLISI REALE & FIGLI; PRIMO STABILIMENTO ITALIANO PER LA FABRICAZIONE DI STRUMENTI A CORDA; MARCA DI FABRICA CATANIA". The year of manufacture should be written as well. Once I came across an information about 12-string, flatback mandolin made by Puglisi, but this isn`t confirmed by now. The Puglisi mandolins should be defined as a middle class instruments. They were made exceptionally for export. So, today you can find them all over the world - in every European country, Russia, Japan, USA, Australia, Brazil, South Africa. The last one, that I saw was in Uruguay. Of course, it depends on every single instrument, but I think the price for a Puglisi mandolin in a good playable condition should be around 200-300$.
The price of the other "Puglisi" instruments - violins and cellos is much, much higher.
Jim, looking at the pictures of the one, that you posted, I think you won`t be disappointed with the Neapolitan bowlbacks!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Good luck!