View Full Version : Does anyone know where this mandolin comes from?
I bought this little mandolin in an antique shop in the south New Zealand, and gave it some new strings. It's got a rounded back and a great sound, but I can't read a word on its label. Does anyone recognise the language or writing?103366103367
houseworker
Jun-14-2013, 5:33am
The language is almost certainly Russian. Looks like it was made in 1982 - 83. Hopefully someone will be along soon who can read it for you. Any chance of some better pictures of the instrument?
Graham McDonald
Jun-14-2013, 5:37am
I think you will find it was made in Russia, perhaps even the old Soviet Union. I once had a 1980 Moscow Olympics souvenir balalaika which looked similar.
cheers
I bought this little mandolin in an antique shop in the south New Zealand, and gave it some new strings. It's got a rounded back and a great sound, but I can't read a word on its label. Does anyone recognise the language or writing?103366103367
Jim Garber
Jun-14-2013, 8:43am
On the white part of the label the first word is "mandolin". Under that word is "Article 30"
The first word in the pink area is "Leningrad". I can sound out the cyrillic letters but don't really know the language.
Shelagh Moore
Jun-14-2013, 9:18am
This, from the label, is a Soviet-era instrument from one of the Leningrad (now St Petersburg) stringed instrument factories of which there were/are several... possibly the Lunacharsky factory (later renamed Arfa). Although I can't see any reference to that on the label the logo is a little bit like theirs. They made a range of instruments including guitars, mandolins, balalaikas and domras.
Markkunkel
Jun-14-2013, 11:12am
This, from the label, is a Soviet-era instrument from one of the Leningrad (now St Petersburg) stringed instrument factories of which there were/are several...
Hi, Richard. Very helpful information! One as fond as John Prine as am I cannot alas help but be put in mind of the "Space Monkey" lyric: "Now Leningrad is Petersburg, and Petersburg's hell, for a card-carrying monkey with a story to tell...." We do love our stories!
MK
Thanks very much - I'll post some more pictures tomorrow.
Thanks Jim, I really appreciate you sharing this knowledge,
Adele