Finnish 1943 mandolins from a public war history photo collection

**Seppo** · Jan-01-2014, 1:31pm

These amazing mandolin family instruments were built by private Törrönen during the war in 1943.
Photos courtesy of SA-kuva website.

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http://sa-kuva.fi/webneologineng.html

**Marty Jacobson** · Jan-01-2014, 1:51pm

Hmm... cool! What's the story? I noticed he's wearing a uniform, was this somehow part of his formal duties, or just a hobby, and he's posed that way for the photos? There are a number of interesting features (and the use of a glass scraper), but I really find this very Sobell-like instrument to be intriguing.

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**delsbrother** · Jan-01-2014, 5:36pm

Domra influence?

That last pic is very similar to the "famous" Loar shot - luthiers love that natural light!

**Seppo** · Jan-02-2014, 2:08am

I don't know more details about this particular builder but these pictures were taken near the front while the soldiers were stationed and ready to act when necessary. Most of the more official photos like these show soldiers in their uniforms but probably there was a chance to dress differently while scraping and dusting. About the models, I've seen wartime mandolins made of any wood available including cigar boxes. Fiddles have been made of matches glued to each other and aircraft aluminium parts were used to almost anything.