c.1890 "Imperial" Cincinnati Bowlback Mandolin

[Jake Wildwood]

Nice little bowlback given to me by a fellow I'm doing a production with, so this one's "staying in the family" -- 30-rib Braz rosewood bowl, fancy decor all around, and (now) a nice player. Decent volume, very balanced classical tone with a dry edge.

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More info and photos can be found at my blog by clicking here. (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2010/11/c1890-imperial-bowlback-mandolin.html)

[billhay4]

It is nice, isn't it? What did you have to do to it to get it back in shape?
bill

[Jake Wildwood]

Bill: Took off the board, slightly reshaped it at neck join to keep it level (neck reset wasn't needed, but the geometry of the top had changed), general cleaning, seam reglue to whole top treble side, brace reglues (both mid braces), etc. In contrast to some other "bar" frets I've seen, these ones have decent tang at their bottom edge.

[billhay4]

You're a wizard, Jake. Why don't you build one from scratch just for fun.
Bill

[Jill McAuley]

Very sweet looking indeed!

Cheers,
Jill

[Tavy]

Lovely work Jake - I really like the scratchplate inlay on this one.

[brunello97]

Nice detailing on this throughout, Jake. I love those neck collars and this one in particular is pretty. What is your take on the 'Imperial' label? Made in Cincinnati or elsewhere? If so, where? It doesn't appear at all like an L+H product.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

Mick is hinting at something that he and I have been discussing. I recently acquired a store labeled mandolin that turned out, on receipt to be Larson-made Maurer. One interesting detail of that and other Larson bowlbacks is the neck collar which is possibly a telltale feature. I have six other jpeg examples in my files of Imperial mandolins and none have that collar, except for yours.

[hummingbirdsprings]

Very pretty Victorian era Lady and so interesting to know she was made in Cincinnati, where I grew up.

[brunello97]

Jim, you know me too well ;) This is a good looking mandolin-as all the details look familiar but uniquely special. I didn't want to invoke the L-word, but the only Imperial/Cincinnati bowl I have in my files is pretty over the top in terms of bling, but does share the same headstock shape and thorough fret marking. I don't think the neck collars are unique to the LBros as I have a fine looking L+H bowlback in a fine state of disrepair that has one of these collars but it is less handsome to my eye than this one.

Jake, what makes you think ca. 1890? Is that splitting the difference on the 'Mugwumps' list dates? Have you found any more information viz Imperial as an active builder in Cincinnati at that time? Or do you think this is a store/brand label?

Cincinnati must have been a place back then. I have seen Wurlitzer and Sutz labeled mandolins out of Cincinnati, though the Wurlitzer labeled bowlbacks were obvious L+H made. Apparently the LBros did make instruments for Wurlitzer as well.

Mick

[Jake Wildwood]

Mick: I have absolutely no idea who made this mando -- but I doubt it was a factory called "Imperial" and very much doubt it was actually made in Cincinnati... it's possible that it was, but something feels very "east coast" to me about this mando.

I put the date at 1890 because of the hardware and inlaid circle-dot on the headstock rear... those tuners and tailpiece have been on numerous other mandolins I've seen or worked on that had either patents of late 1880s or corroborated dating around c.1890. Curiously enough, some of the JF Stratton instruments from the time had a similar inlaid circle-brand (ivoroid? bone? ivory?) identifier on the back of the headstocks.

I'm wondering if your Larson hunch is right, because the craftsmanship certainly fits in...

I worked on a a couple of nearly identical (in terms of build style, minus the collar -- one for a customer, one for myself) Wurlitzer bowlbacks in the past year that had the same sort of stuff going on -- tuners, tailpiece, and headstock inlay.

RE collars for the necks, though... totally confusing there, because a lot of makers used them, just not that often. It's a pretty attractive feature on this fellow, though. :)

And I agree, this is certainly NOT a Lyon & Healy instrument. Build is too light, and all wrong for that.

[brunello97]

Interesting to hear your thoughts, Jake, on the 'east coast' vibe. Care to expand on that? The Vegas and Favillas I have had seem about 2/3 the Washburn weight or less. (Never weighed any but it is an interesting idea to try.) Everything special (and not clearly identifiable as a Martin or Vega) seems to get lumped onto the Larsons plate. What other east coast (vintage) builders have you had good experience with?

Mick