unknown Mandolin.

[poynterguitars]

I have a really ornate Mandolin. I'm having trouble finding information.

[allenhopkins]

Well, not a lot of info on the web about the Ficarra brothers; the other instruments that kees popping up are an aluminum- bodied bowl-back, and a rather plain bowl-back attributed to a Joseph Ficarra of Port Said in Egypt.

Lots of mandolin builders in Naples, and this surely is a "presentation grade" instrument with over-the-top inlay work. This very inclusive alphabetical listing of Italian Neapolitan Mandolin Makers doesn't mention Fratelli Ficarra at all.

Hope another bowl-back expert will chime in with more info.

[colorado_al]

Interesting scalloped ribs

[Jim Garber]

This Fratelli Ficarra may or may not have anything to do with Joseph Ficarra or Frateli Ficarra of Port Said who, with the exception of one flattop wooden instrument seems to mostly make or sell mandolins with aluminum bowls. It is possible that Ficarra in Port Said imported the instruments into his city or esle moved there from Napoli.

This label says that they are students of Vinaccia and are located in Napoli. It is also interesting that the fretboard is a light wood. I would assume that in a relatively fancy mandolin like this the fretboard would be made of ebony. BTW the tailpiece is a modern replacement and I would also guess that the bridge is not placed right for correct intonation. It should be on the soundhole side of the cant.

[MikeEdgerton]

And now the bad news, it still isn't worth a whole lot of money. The only bowlback mandolins that bring any real money are known makers that can be easily identified.

[multidon]

Wow! Are we sure this wasn't made by Bruce Wei?

[Russ Donahue]

Is it playable? How does it sound? There might be more to this thing than the bling...

[tonydxn]

I don't have much to contribute to this thread, but might as well add what I can. A Ficarra Joseph mandolin recently sold on eBay UK. Here is a photo of the label

This does not look like a maker's label to me - it looks more like the kind of label that might be stuck into an unlabelled instrument by an instrument wholesaler or music shop. The mandolin was a real cheapie and I suspect has nothing to do with Fratelli Ficarra of Napoli.

I am just working on a Fratelli Ficarra mandolin and will post some photos when I've got it done.

[Bob A]

Tailpiece is pulling off the bowl. Strings look heavy, but it's hard to tell. Varnished fretboard is odd; limited to 16 frets would be unusual for a really quality instrument, as it limits the range. I suspect it was kept short so as to not obscure the soundhole inlays, which might indicate it was an instrument meant to be more decorative than otherwise. The nut looks a bit odd to me, but I'm limited by my viewscreen, so maybe not a big deal.

String it with extra light strings and see what happens. After you reattach the tailpiece. Proper placement of bridge would be necessary.

I like the bowl. Watch out for bits of pearl popping off; don't let them get away.

[brunello97]

I have a label from Mariano Ficarra in my files. Forse uno dei fratelli?

It is a pretty blurry image, but the "Napoli" is big and bold. I have no images of the mandolin itself for some odd reason.

Mick

[tonydxn]

Here are some photos of my Fratelli Ficarra mandolin. It has 12 strings. Apart from that it's a pretty unremarkable instrument. The bridge is not original.