Here we have for sale a RARE ANTIQUE 8 STRING f HOLE FLATBACK MANDOLIN AND CASE (J E DALLAS & SONS ?) We were having a clear out and came across this mandolin in the attic. It belonged to my Grandmothers father and handed down through the family (about 100 years?).
The motif on the back shows a lady standing on a cloud holding a union jack in one hand and the stars and stripes in another (13 stripes and 18 stars)
It is teardrop shaped but flat backed. It has 8 strings and 18 frets. Can't find a manufacturers name on outside and cannot see inside as sound holes are f shaped (as in violin like!). Length is 24 inches. There is a small gap where the back plate has come away from the main body of the instrument but easily glued. Comes with original case which is well worn and has no locks. Here is what Ken Thompson from Hobgoblin Music had to say
"It is difficult to be definite about your instrument even if I had it to hand however I have seen something similar. I think it dates from about 1900 and was probably made either by or for J E Dallas and Sons . The back looks like rosewood and the front spruce. Dallas were an English company but had alot of instruments made in the States.It probably has a value of about £200.
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