Angelo Mannello Bowl Back Mandolin

[williammorgan]

Anyone have any opinions on this mandolin? Although the tail piece says Pat. Oct 86, when was this mandolin likely made?

I have to admit I'm not a mandolin player so it's difficult to really access it's play-ability. Compared to some other ones I've come across this one plays much better and certainly looks better with the pearl work. I've seen this guy's museum piece and it's breathtaking but realize he also ran a company mass producing these things. Is this an inbetweener?
9628896289962909629196292

[allenhopkins]

The Mugwumps Index of American Fretted Musical Instrument Makers (http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html) lists Angelo Mannello as building in NYCity 1886-1906. The index gives no other information, but that narrows the period down somewhat. Another website lists Mannello's lifespan as 1858-1922. A PDF reprint of a 1903 Music Trade Review (http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1903-37-15/MTR-1903-37-15-36.pdf) gives an ad for Mannello's shop at 676-680 Eagle Avenue in New York.

There's a Mannello mandolin displayed here (http://www.mandolinluthier.com/neapolitan-makers-alphabetic-3.htm) with the identical pickguard and binding, but without the mother-of-pearl fretboard. Slightly different headstock. I'd agree with your assessment that yours is probably one of his higher-end instruments. How many ribs or staves in the bowl-back? And is it rosewood? Rosewood and more ribs are generally also indicators of an upscale instrument.

The Mannello at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an extreme example of a "presentation grade" instrument, almost totally encrusted with mother-of-pearl, and probably designed for display rather than actual use. According to the caption, it was donated to MMA by the Mannello family in 1972.

Google searching yields quite a few hits on Mannello mandolins, when you consider they were apparently made 110-130 years ago, so we can deduce that he was quite a prolific luthier; the fact that his shop took up three addresses on Eagle Avenue also suggests it may have been fairly large-scale. I wouldn't necessarily use the term "mass production," as the shop might have had a half-dozen or dozen craftspersons building instruments by hand, but apparently a well-known member of the contingent of Italian builders in New York, who turned out many bowl-backs around the turn of the 20th century.

[williammorgan]

Thanks Allen,

Yes I agree the one in the museum was probably an exposition or crafted to show the extent of his artistry.

One site said he had up to 70 workers I think. I'd dare to say the arrival of immigrants made this need possible. I mean were mandolins very popular in the 19th century as much as they were turn of the century? I really don't know but it would seem likely they became more popular as other instruments took off like the banjo and ukulele. I'm not saying either one of those instruments is the same as a mandolin just that there was change in the air if you will musically. And you can see a short time later all the fancy f style mandolins. I suppose other crafts were the same as you see a decline over the years in fancy appointments.

It does seem to be a functional instrument which I found amazing. I base that on others of the same era I've seen. It has 17 smaller ribs, and 19 with the 2 outer wide ones. I really don't know how to determine whether the back is rosewood or not. I do have some rosewood instruments and it is certain common enough. There's a good possibility it is definitely rosewood and perhaps Brazilian.

Looking at some of my guitars with dot inlays I'm like wow, how plain. I've never seen an entire fretboard of pearl.

The Mugwumps Index of American Fretted Musical Instrument Makers (http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html) lists Angelo Mannello as building in NYCity 1886-1906. The index gives no other information, but that narrows the period down somewhat. Another website lists Mannello's lifespan as 1858-1922. A PDF reprint of a 1903 Music Trade Review (http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1903-37-15/MTR-1903-37-15-36.pdf) gives an ad for Mannello's shop at 676-680 Eagle Avenue in New York.

There's a Mannello mandolin displayed here (http://www.mandolinluthier.com/neapolitan-makers-alphabetic-3.htm) with the identical pickguard and binding, but without the mother-of-pearl fretboard. Slightly different headstock. I'd agree with your assessment that yours is probably one of his higher-end instruments. How many ribs or staves in the bowl-back? And is it rosewood? Rosewood and more ribs are generally also indicators of an upscale instrument.

The Mannello at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an extreme example of a "presentation grade" instrument, almost totally encrusted with mother-of-pearl, and probably designed for display rather than actual use. According to the caption, it was donated to MMA by the Mannello family in 1972.

Google searching yields quite a few hits on Mannello mandolins, when you consider they were apparently made 110-130 years ago, so we can deduce that he was quite a prolific luthier; the fact that his shop took up three addresses on Eagle Avenue also suggests it may have been fairly large-scale. I wouldn't necessarily use the term "mass production," as the shop might have had a half-dozen or dozen craftspersons building instruments by hand, but apparently a well-known member of the contingent of Italian builders in New York, who turned out many bowl-backs around the turn of the 20th century.

[allenhopkins]

Mandolins were certainly very popular among the Italian immigrant community in New York, and there were quite a few builders there around the turn of the 20th century. Some of these luthiers, and their descendants such as John D'Angelico, are still rated among the top builders of American acoustic instruments. At first, they were building for a specific ethnic clientele, who were used to the type of mandolin manufactured in Italy or around the Mediterranean; later, they branched out into other types of instrument, such as arch-top guitars, carved mandolins, banjos etc.

There certainly was an "explosion" of interest in acoustic stringed instruments a century ago, with mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, guitars etc. being manufactured in the US by the hundreds of thousands. In addition there was a proliferation of zither-like oddities, from which only the Autoharp survives. A few years later, resonator-based stringed instruments were invented and developed, and companies like National and Dobro made thousands of those. The early 20th century is by many considered to be the "Golden Age" of American stringed instrument manufacture.

Mannello is more than a footnote to this history, if brief internet research is any indication. A mandolin with 17 ribs, in the general scheme of things, sounds mid-range; some of the top-line instruments had over 30, often "fluted" or scalloped, with white holly strips inlaid between them. But the mother-of-pearl fretboard does indicate a higher-grade instrument. If it's playable and good-sounding, it's a nice addition; and if it still "works" after a century, it must be well-made and decently maintained.

If you post a pic of the bowl, it should be apparent whether it's rosewood or not. If it is, it's almost certainly Brazilian (or at least South American); the wood was readily available around 1900, and the switch to Indian (Asian) rosewood didn't occur until around 1970, when Brazil embargoed export of rosewood logs, to help their domestic milling industry.

[williammorgan]

Yes I agree how the initial intention of the instrument makers evolved. D'Angelico archtops are stunning btw. I think this mandolin must have been like you said a midgrade but possibly a custom order. The inclusion of Saturn seems unusual and dare I say personalized. Not that the original owner came from Saturn lol but he or she may have been interested in astronomy, Jules Verne etc...now if I could only get the flux capacitor going ;) Thanks for your information and opinion.
96304

Mandolins were certainly very popular among the Italian immigrant community in New York, and there were quite a few builders there around the turn of the 20th century. Some of these luthiers, and their descendants such as John D'Angelico, are still rated among the top builders of American acoustic instruments. At first, they were building for a specific ethnic clientele, who were used to the type of mandolin manufactured in Italy or around the Mediterranean; later, they branched out into other types of instrument, such as arch-top guitars, carved mandolins, banjos etc.

There certainly was an "explosion" of interest in acoustic stringed instruments a century ago, with mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, guitars etc. being manufactured in the US by the hundreds of thousands. In addition there was a proliferation of zither-like oddities, from which only the Autoharp survives. A few years later, resonator-based stringed instruments were invented and developed, and companies like National and Dobro made thousands of those. The early 20th century is by many considered to be the "Golden Age" of American stringed instrument manufacture.

Mannello is more than a footnote to this history, if brief internet research is any indication. A mandolin with 17 ribs, in the general scheme of things, sounds mid-range; some of the top-line instruments had over 30, often "fluted" or scalloped, with white holly strips inlaid between them. But the mother-of-pearl fretboard does indicate a higher-grade instrument. If it's playable and good-sounding, it's a nice addition; and if it still "works" after a century, it must be well-made and decently maintained.

If you post a pic of the bowl, it should be apparent whether it's rosewood or not. If it is, it's almost certainly Brazilian (or at least South American); the wood was readily available around 1900, and the switch to Indian (Asian) rosewood didn't occur until around 1970, when Brazil embargoed export of rosewood logs, to help their domestic milling industry.

[allenhopkins]

It's rosewood. Apparently from several boards, from the color differences.

[seerock]

It's rosewood. Apparently from several boards, from the color differences.

Hello,
this is my first post...
i just received a bowl back (Midland), supposedly made by Wurlitzer.

my point is that your mandolin's tail piece dated "pat'd oct 26- 86" is the same date (and shape) as my "Midland" mandolin's tailpiece.

Moreover My tailpiece has the initials RWB (R is backwards)

I assume that the W stands for Wurlitzer???

just an idea...any thoughts appreciated....as many post state L&H and others were "feeding from the same trough"

[Jim Garber]

RWB is Wurlitzer for sure and you are correct that the patent date on the tp is for the tp.

[seerock]

Hello Jim, Thanks for responding.

I am new to the mandolin scene.

I am not sure how to post a new topic.

So i will ask:
What is a good mandolin capo?

[Jim Garber]

You can search for older threads on capos. Many players scoff at capos -- I don't really use one, but i do have a Shubb banjo capo which works fine for mandolin.

[mrmando]

Had a look at a Mannello mandolin tonight. Not as fancy as the photo. 23 ribs, rosewood. Really was in excellent shape apart from missing a piece of fretboard inlay. Old cruddy strings, but still quite playable with nice tone. I guessed 1910 so I wasn't that far off.

[matthew71]

Angelo Mannello family is still very proud of his achievements. They live in LA. One had a chance to handle the Met model a few years back. Plays well apparently.

[PiccoloPrincipe]

For posterity, I've had the good fortune to play around with 2 mandolins by Mannello of less quality than this image above. I have never come across any while abroad in Europe. They seem to be a rarity, yet of course come up relatively often within the States on the auction site.

Perhaps because I wasn't really looking as I've only recently taken to the mandolin. Funny I remembered the name as I am primarily interested in Italian luthiers and classical guitar.

Anyway, each at least 17 ribs, brazilian rosewood. No inlays such as this.
They both had a really nice tone and fullness to the sound. I do remember that.
It sounded very mature.

So difficult to describe these things. Like trying to describe the taste of something sweet to someone who has never tasted something sweet before. What vocabulary does one use?

I recommend trying one of the higher end, non mass market pieces if you can.
fwiw

[Jim Garber]

I have handled both the mandolins in the Metropolitan Museum tho I don't recall either of them set up to actually play. I also believe that Mannello possibly had them made by other luthiers in his employ in his shop. I will check my Met Museum musical instrument book. He also might have built some of these simpler models for other distributors as well which might explain why there are not many around.

[PiccoloPrincipe]

Hello

Ah. What a memorable experience.
Who did you have to sleep with to do that?

I am sure they weren't set up for playing. I would be very surprised, if not disappointed, if they were.

However, I'd be very hesitant to state, and beyond dismayed, if he did not make them himself.
He was a genuine luthier, and a respected one, after all .. and as any woodworker or luthier will tell you, once wood is in your blood it always is.

Call me sentimental or idealistic, but although an astute businessman, he was a luthier first. Right off the boat, hiring other Italian mandolin makers right off the boat...so to speak.

Excuse me, but I tend to block such talk as history is too easily re-written by those with only a little bit of information. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, and the accomplishments of other sullied by the little bit of information we have.

I couldn't imagine him allowing others to create his "piece de resistance" ..
Anyway, these remained within the family until the 70's or something prior to being donated to the MET, if I recall correctly. Obviously important heirlooms.

At any rate, nothing surprises me of course. I mean Jose Ramirez III of the famous Ramirez Dynasty said he did not have to build guitars and just had others build them as once the designs were made anyone could build them ....sort of thing.

But I don't believe that Mannello was a businessman type like Ermelinda Silvestri or Sgroi. Mancuso, et al. out of Catania looking to make money alone by producing anything and everything (junk) for export.

He was an ambitious immigrant who hired other luthiers and woodworkers who were right off the boat, so to speak. Sure he was an adept businessman too, but to imply he ceased to be a luthier is dangerous.

To believe he had photos taken holding mandolins, etc merely for publicity is all too cynical for this boy.

But sure, workers assembled mandolins for him and did do all of his mass production work. And yes made for many others, and many without labels or the labels of others. Although an astute eye can often figure many of them out.

Anyway, one off topic curiosity I have is the lack of pick guards on several I have come across.
And, yes in fact I am certain by Mannello made for others...and a couple with his label.

In fact one of the Mannello mandolins I recall playing with at someone's restoration shop in the past had no pick guard either..it had a Mannello label within, so I know.

Everything else intact. The butterfly, the 2 flanking scrolls beside the butterfly at center but no pick guard?

Was actual tortoise shell used during that time? Was it removed for motives of import/export?

Or maybe they were just damaged and removed, but it piqued my curiosity enough to ask as it seems rather common from those I've come across..never thought about it until now.

Anyway, excuse the length and don't take offense. Merely chatting..
2 pages of typeface equals 30sec conversation after all.

oh brother, I realize becoming involved within a forum again is going to become all too time consuming!
Regards
P

[Jim Garber]

Sorry, PP... I did not mean that those masterpieces were not made by AM himself only that the lesser, more pedestrian and simpler Mannello mandolins were. Those two examples in the Metropolitan were made by him: Mannello #1 (http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/503675).

I had a friend who worked at the museum (since retired) and I went there a few times and visited in the back rooms.

[Jim Garber]

Here is Mannello #2 (http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/504480).

[Jim Garber]

In fact one of the Mannello mandolins I recall playing with at someone's restoration shop in the past had no pick guard either..it had a Mannello label within, so I know.

Everything else intact. The butterfly, the 2 flanking scrolls beside the butterfly at center but no pick guard?

Maybe I am confused here? The original post above (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?91562-Angelo-Mannello-Bowl-Back-Mandolin&p=1119350&viewfull=1#post1119350) shows a mandolin with a butterfly inlay. Is that what the one you saw looked like?

That butterfly inlay is common to many other mandolins I have seen from different shops in the US and was probably purchased from a pearl supplier. In fact I have seen other pearl patterns that are similar across different makers.

[Tavy]

Completely over the top, but... I do love the pick guard inlay on the first of those two Jim.

[Jim Garber]

I have seen a few other mandolins, possibly also by Mannello, which had those cherubim on it.

[peterk]

Those presentation grade mandolins are totally sick.:grin:

[brunello97]

Love the back on Numero Uno.

I admit to being a lifelong fan of Art Nouveau (in its many regional guises.)

Mick

[Nevin]

This tickled my interest, not just for the mandolin, but being interested in New York history. After checking a couple of maps from the period, the only Eagle Avenue in NYC appears to be in the Bronx. It was a very Italian neighborhood though. There is no trace of the workshop now.

[brunello97]

This tickled my interest, not just for the mandolin, but being interested in New York history. After checking a couple of maps from the period, the only Eagle Avenue in NYC appears to be in the Bronx. It was a very Italian neighborhood though. There is no trace of the workshop now.

I find myself doing the same thing. When there's an address on a mandolin label, I'm on google earth right away to see if the buildings are still standing. Funny thing is that the east side of Eagle Avenue (676-680) looks like newer housing units. The part of the block on west side looks like they may be as old as to be from the period Manello was working.

While a lot of the older buildings are residential a number of the buildings look like they may have been able to support a shop in the lower level. (Below the stoop, or whatever y'all call that half level down in NY.) 676-680 implies it might have been one larger building with multiple addresses. Even as torn up as the original neighborhood fabric is from newer development, it doesn't seem like larger buildings were set mid-block, but on the corners. This is Mott Haven, isn't it? Or Melrose?

Hard to tell. Old Sanborn Insurance maps are a good resource for checking into these things. I'll dig around a bit in some on-line resources and see if they have anything from this area, this era. Here's a link to the NYPL collection (http://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/guides/fire-topo-property-maps) of these maps (and others.)

Cool stuff.

Mick

[brunello97]

Bingo.

This is from a 1908 Sanborn map of the Bronx. Eagle Avenue is to the left. (Nothing was on the 1891 map at this location--but I need to confirm that.)

On these maps pink denotes a brick structure, yellow a wood building. The letter D indicates it is a residence occupied by not more than two families.

Seems like Manello was spreading himself out on Eagle Avenue.

Interestingly, though, there is a volume (http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=847699&imageID=1532925&parent_id=847672&snum=&s=&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=63&num=20&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=27) with a survey of the blocks and the owner's names. In the 1904 registry, Manello's block #2624, he is not listed as owning property. All of the owners' names sound German or English. If this was an Italian neighborhood, they were renting in 1904. (Which is not particularly surprising....)

Mick

[Rob Norton]

There's a long entry on Mannello in "American Musical Instruments in the Metropolitan Museum of Art"
By Laurence Libin, which is viewable on Google books. (Hope this link works.) http://books.google.com/books?id=aUmuiRMyxhgC&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=%22eagle+avenue%22+bronx++italian+musician&source=bl&ots=TEM-qqW72G&sig=jgBlzYLyWrPMFap_tlIKtynhuhk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kRfrUuyOCeG8yAGg6IDgDQ&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22eagle%20avenue%22%20bronx%20%20italian%20musi cian&f=false
It includes a photo of the man himself:
113526
as well as photos of his work.

It has lots of interesting biographical info as well, noting that before 1900, he had a shop at several different addresses in Manhattan's Little Italy, including this address on Spring Street:
113529
(apologies if any of this has been referenced already here or elsewhere, but if it has been I didn't see it.)

[Jim Garber]

I have handled both the mandolins in the Metropolitan Museum tho I don't recall either of them set up to actually play. I also believe that Mannello possibly had them made by other luthiers in his employ in his shop. I will check my Met Museum musical instrument book. He also might have built some of these simpler models for other distributors as well which might explain why there are not many around.

I must have been sleeping when I wrote that!! I certainly did not mean that those two masterpieces were made by others. I meant that the simpler models were built by workers in his employ. Laurence Libin's book, American Musical Instruments in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, says that by 1903 Mannello had up to 75 employees in the Eagle Avenue factory and they were turning our scores of mandolins, guitars and banjos, many of which went to C. Bruno & Sons. He sold his handmade custom instruments to top musicians and celebrities of the time.

[peterk]

113536

Here's another Mannello on Ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Angelo-Mannello-Bowl-Back-Mandolin-/291069502271?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c518233f

I am curious about the newsprint under the pickguard (which went missing).
113539
113540

[Jim Garber]

That newsprint is a little strange, Peter. I wonder if the tortoise shell or plastic disintegrated and the pearl inlay fell out at some point and someone glued the pearl to that newspaper. I believe that often these elaborate inlays were supplied as sets to luthiers by pearl shops. I believe, for example, that Louis Handel was one such shop but there were prob a few others. I would think it pretty odd, tho to have a tortoise or imitation pickguard over newsprint that could possibly be read thru the shell. Emberghers BTW often had gold leaf under the shell to add to the reflection.

[peterk]

Well, the pickguard plate might have been ebony or opaque celluloid, and not any transparent material, then the newsprint backing wouldn't have mattered.
Perhaps the paper was supposed to be peeled off before the pickguard gluing onto the instrument, yet some apprentice neglected to do that ?

Regarding the use of paper in the construction of those mandolins, I still can not get over the practice of lining the bowl with paper. I'd assume they would have gotten a more solid bowl by using a stronger kind of cloth/linen. When I was re-lining the bowl of one of my old Italian mandolins, the old paper was flaking off with hardly any scraping.

[Jim Garber]

I believe that the paper was there so the glued ribs would separate easily from the form. Some mandolins -- certainly the Emberghers -- used wood shavings instead of paper. I wonder tho if there is a type of paper that does not disintegrate when it gets old -- like maybe there is something put into the paper-making process that causes it to get yellow and disintegrate. I have also seen at least one American bowlback with what looked like thin metal foil lining the inside.

[Russ Donahue]

This thread is an example of what is so amazing about the Cafe. Where else could one get such a history lesson over the space of a day?

My thanks to all the contributors!

[PiccoloPrincipe]

Indeed.

Yes, many thanks for taking the time.
It is genuinely appreciated.

In fact, that Mannello I noticed as well (without the pick guard).

I have to laugh.
Browsing around here, I see we all tend to share VERY similar qualities.

You are all so online savvy, experienced, knowledgeable, and genuine connoisseurs onto the nuances of treasure hunting online..etc.

..don't know whether to consider you kind friends or mortal enemies!! (Laugh)

Kind regards.



This thread is an example of what is so amazing about the Cafe. Where else could one get such a history lesson over the space of a day?

My thanks to all the contributors!


Awesome.
Thank you very much for this.
Look forward to checking out the book.

There's a long entry on Mannello in "American Musical Instruments in the Metropolitan Museum of Art"
By Laurence Libin, which is viewable on Google books. (Hope this link works.) http://books.google.com/books?id=aUmuiRMyxhgC&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=%22eagle+avenue%22+bronx++italian+musician&source=bl&ots=TEM-qqW72G&sig=jgBlzYLyWrPMFap_tlIKtynhuhk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kRfrUuyOCeG8yAGg6IDgDQ&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22eagle%20avenue%22%20bronx%20%20italian%20musi cian&f=false
It includes a photo of the man himself:
113526
as well as photos of his work.

It has lots of interesting biographical info as well, noting that before 1900, he had a shop at several different addresses in Manhattan's Little Italy, including this address on Spring Street:
113529
(apologies if any of this has been referenced already here or elsewhere, but if it has been I didn't see it.)

[mike_leggett]

I have nearly the exact same mandolin. It was my Mothers Grandfather's and was one of a matched pair. I have never been able to discover what happened to the second one. I've had to repair it over the years with a new fret and sound board and it still sounds great. Attached is a picture of it on my lap 64 years ago. I did not rediscover it until 1970 when I found it in my Mothers attic. I have been playing it ever since.



https://youtu.be/LfqhEHTRCU8

(there is likely a more correct way to add this youtube link but you can cut and paste)


Keep 'em Flying,
Mike

[SteveOssias]

This is my first time posting. I've read through a few of the posts regarding Angelo Mannello Bowl Back Mandolins which encouraged me to upload some pics of a mandolin I recently (re)discovered in our crawl space of an attic. I'm not sure if the images I tried to attach are actually visible. There are no markings/labels inside the mandolin so I can't be sure this one isn't a knockoff of a better quality instrument.

There is an unmatched gear screw holding one of the tuning knobs; the tailpiece which is pulling away on the bottom has no markings; much of the inlay along the edge is missing; the pick guard isn't flush with the top all the way along its edges; there's an inlay in the fretboard that is depressed; but with new strings and corrections to the tailpiece it is playable. There are 19 ribs on the bowl. As for the rest of the mfg quality I am clueless. I'm not a mandolin player yet.

If you can offer any insight as to the possible mfg of this I'd much appreciate it.


The Mugwumps Index of American Fretted Musical Instrument Makers (http://www.mugwumps.com/AmerInstMkr.html) lists Angelo Mannello as building in NYCity 1886-1906. The index gives no other information, but that narrows the period down somewhat. Another website lists Mannello's lifespan as 1858-1922. A PDF reprint of a 1903 Music Trade Review (http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1903-37-15/MTR-1903-37-15-36.pdf) gives an ad for Mannello's shop at 676-680 Eagle Avenue in New York.

There's a Mannello mandolin displayed here (http://www.mandolinluthier.com/neapolitan-makers-alphabetic-3.htm) with the identical pickguard and binding, but without the mother-of-pearl fretboard. Slightly different headstock. I'd agree with your assessment that yours is probably one of his higher-end instruments. How many ribs or staves in the bowl-back? And is it rosewood? Rosewood and more ribs are generally also indicators of an upscale instrument.

The Mannello at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an extreme example of a "presentation grade" instrument, almost totally encrusted with mother-of-pearl, and probably designed for display rather than actual use. According to the caption, it was donated to MMA by the Mannello family in 1972.

Google searching yields quite a few hits on Mannello mandolins, when you consider they were apparently made 110-130 years ago, so we can deduce that he was quite a prolific luthier; the fact that his shop took up three addresses on Eagle Avenue also suggests it may have been fairly large-scale. I wouldn't necessarily use the term "mass production," as the shop might have had a half-dozen or dozen craftspersons building instruments by hand, but apparently a well-known member of the contingent of Italian builders in New York, who turned out many bowl-backs around the turn of the 20th century.169171169172169173169174

[allenhopkins]

1. Your pics are visible.

2. The mandolin looks US-made to me; I'm sorta going by the "batwing" pickguard with the butterfly inlay, and the scalloped tailpiece. I'm sure there are other bowl-back experts out there that can give a more educated appraisal.

3. I'm not sure that this should be attributed Angelo Mannello, although the pickguard shape and inlay are similar to one of the Mannello-labeled instruments shown above. Pickguards and inlays were often purchased from suppliers who sold them generally, so you could get similar ones on instruments from a variety of makers.