Help with Calace

[bobzyla]

I Have a mandolin withe the following label in it
fabbrica speciale
Di Mandolini Fini
Nicola M. Calace-Napoli
Reppresentanti escluzivi in
Swizzera: Fratelli Hug & C. Zurich
There is no year when it was made, Is this Nicola the brother or the grandfather?
Mandolin needs some restoration but nothing major.
Bob

[Jim Garber]

Post some photos. We would love to see. I believe that Nicola is Raffaele's brother.

[Masterbilt]

Reppresentanti escluzivi in
Swizzera: Fratelli Hug & C. Zurich


Interesting... the instrument dealer Hug in Zurich, Switzerland, was founded 200 years ago and still exists today!

[bobzyla]

Photos coming up in 10

[bobzyla]

Here are the photos of mandolin
I assume that it would be from late 1800 since he moved to America in early 1900?
Any info would be helpful
Thanks

[brunello97]

Very nice, Bob, thanks for posting these. Would you have a clear shot of the label you might be able to also post?

I have wondered what it was that caused such a serious break between Nicola and Raffaele. The easy speculative answers sometimes seem too easy.

Mick

[bobzyla]

I"ll try to take better photo of the inside.
from what I read on Calase site is that Raffaele was just better then his brother.
Some people do not like to play second fiddle.

[bobzyla]

here is the photo of the label, the best I could get

[brunello97]

That's a pretty good photo, Bob. Thanks!

Mick

[bobzyla]

Hello again
I took this mandolin to couple of well known repair shops in Toronto Canada, and they wood not even touch it.
They are guitar restorers not mandolin, I can not find anybody here to fix it for me.
I would of liked to keep it but now I'm thinking with parting with it.
One side of the top is separated from the bole inlay is dented little bit and part of lamination on the neck came up little bit.
I wounder if any one knows good repair shop in this area.
Bob
I'll post some pix. later on of work that needs to be done.

[ambrosepottie]

Try George Heinl violin on Church st. They repair high end string instruments but were very obliging in doing a little glueup on my Martin uke. Unlike the guitar shops who were much snobbier. They also have specialized tools for small instruments.

[bobzyla]

Thanks
That was the shop that did not want to touch it and sent me to one on Danfort east near Main and they refused me also.
Bob

[Jim Garber]

Bob: Don't take it personally. We bowlback owners are outcasts in the mandolin luthier world. Believe me I have a closetful of themto prove it. Maybe you can ship it to Jake Wildwood to work on it?

[bobzyla]

Thanks Jim
Actually I was glad that they were honest to refuse me instead of excepting it and then not doing a good job on it. I had couple of people offer me their service but I was not inclined to leave it with them.
Here are some photos of the job that needs to be done.
Bob


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[Jim Garber]

Doesn't look horrible but prob will take some work. Do you have a clearer shot of the neck problem. I can;t really tell what is going on there. is it just wear or parts splintering off? Those necks are usually veneered (yours looks like rosewood) on a core of different wood.

[bobzyla]

Hi Jim
The veneer is lifting up just in that place and kind of splintered. It just so happens that I still ( I think ) have few pieces of Brasilian Rose Wood veneer samples that I was trying to sell to Luthiers years ago without any luck.
Bob